Cleveland Browns Part Ways with Head Coach Kevin Stefanski After Six Seasons
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns announced on Monday the dismissal of head coach Kevin Stefanski after six seasons at the helm, marking a significant shift in the franchise’s leadership following a frustrating 5-12 campaign. Stefanski, 43, who was hired in 2020 and quickly ended the Browns’ nearly two-decade playoff drought, became the fourth NFL coach to be fired this season.
Under Stefanski’s guidance, the Browns experienced a resurgence, highlighted by two 11-win seasons and two playoff appearances, including the team’s first playoff victory since 1994. His overall record with Cleveland stood at 46-58. Despite these achievements, the Browns’ recent struggles, culminating in a losing record this past season, prompted the organization to seek a new direction.
“We have tremendous gratitude for Kevin’s leadership of the Cleveland Browns over the last six seasons,” said Dee and Jimmy Haslam, the team’s managing and principal partners, in a joint statement. “He is a good football coach and an even better person. We appreciate all his hard work and dedication to our organization but our results over the last two seasons have not been satisfactory, and we believe a change at the head coaching position is necessary.”
The Browns concluded their 2025 season with a narrow 20-18 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, a bittersweet finale to a campaign that saw the team fall short of expectations. The franchise now turns its attention to rebuilding and returning to contention.
General Manager Andrew Berry will remain with the Browns and continue to lead football operations as the organization embarks on a search for Stefanski’s successor. “The entirety of our focus is on building a team that brings our fans the success they long deserve, and we will continue to work relentlessly towards that goal and invest whatever resources necessary to build a winning football program,” the Haslams added. “Andrew will immediately begin our thorough process to find an outstanding new head coach and leader of our football team. We have an exciting young core to build upon, and Andrew and his team are intent on adding talent to this core and building out a roster that can achieve sustainable success.”
Stefanski expressed his gratitude to the Browns organization and fans in a statement released by the team. “After six seasons as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, I leave with an immense sense of gratitude,” he said. “A sincere ‘Thank You’ to everyone who supported me and the team throughout this journey.”
Stefanski’s firing comes amid a wave of coaching changes across the NFL this season, reflecting the high stakes and intense pressure coaches face in the league. The Browns’ decision underscores the franchise’s urgency to reverse course after recent setbacks.
For more on NFL coaching changes and the Browns’ organizational moves, visit the NFL official site and the Cleveland Browns’ official website. Insights into team management and coaching strategies can be found through the NFL Players Association and the Sporting News NFL coverage.
As the Browns prepare to enter a new chapter, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see who will step into the head coaching role and how the team will leverage its young talent to rebuild toward sustained success.
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