Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski won't have to worry about his job status entering Thursday night’s game, in spite of the team’s 2-8 record.
Stefanski is expected to remain as Browns head coach in 2025, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Thursday's edition of The Insiders.
Speaking with reporters this week while speculation surrounding his job status was swirling, Stefanski wasn't fretting about the proverbial hot seat. As he put it, growing up around Philadelphia listening to talk radio made him smart enough “to not worry about outside noise," even with the Browns coming off an 11-win season and a playoff berth in 2023.
"I get that's part of this gig,” Stefanski said Tuesday when asked if he’s concerned about losing his job, via ESPN. “That's life in the big city. My sole focus is getting this team ready to get a win on Thursday night. That's it."
On the upcoming The Insiders Thursday, Rapoport conveyed his surprise that Stefanski was even asked about his job security.
"This seems wild to me,” Rapoport said. “He is the reigning Coach of the Year, and not only that, he also had previously won Coach of the Year. He's a two-time Coach of the Year.
“Kevin Stefanski did not forget how to coach football. He just had an unfortunate performance, including the fact that Deshaun Watson had, you know, certainly the worst year of his career and then got injured and obviously the same last year. This is the same Kevin Stefanski that led a team with Joe Flacco as a starting quarterback to the playoffs.”
According to what Rapoport is hearing, Stefanski projects to be the Browns’ head coach in 2025.
“Kevin Stefanski, to my knowledge, based on everything I know, is not going anywhere,” Rapoport said. “I assume people will still be asking. It has been an unfortunate season. They don't have the results they wanted. But I would be beyond stunned if Kevin Stefanski was not the Browns' coach next year."
Injuries have been a major part of the Browns’ struggles in 2024. Prior to getting hurt, Watson’s discouraging play also was a big factor. The Browns’ defense, one of the best in the NFL a year ago, also has slipped significantly. In short, a lot has gone wrong.
Stefanski is a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year winner, earning it in his first season of 2020 and also in 2023 after leading the Browns to a four-win improvement from the year prior. Interestingly, those are his only two winning seasons in his fifth year at the helm. A loss Thursday night against the Steelers would guarantee the Browns finish this season with a losing record.
It would also drop Stefanski to .500 as an NFL head coach. Entering Thursday night’s game, Stefanski’s coaching record in Cleveland is 39-38 (.506 win percentage).
The Browns signed Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry to multi-year contract extensions in June.