Browns fire coach Stefanski, will keep GM Berry. WTF???

[Auggie]

Berry is the douchebag that created this mess. I agree with the Stefanski firing, but Berry had to go too.

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BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns fired head coach Kevin Stefanski after six seasons, the team announced Monday.

The Browns finished the 2025 season with a 5-12 record en route to their second straight last-place finish in the AFC North and their fourth losing season under Stefanski.

"We have tremendous gratitude for Kevin's leadership of the Cleveland Browns over the last six seasons," Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam said Monday in a 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 also announced that Andrew Berry, who arrived in Cleveland with Stefanski in 2020, will remain in his position as general manager.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47512228/browns-fire-head-coach-kevin-stefanski-6-seasons

[Diamond_Dog]

1. Some more on this from the Plain Dealer.

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2026/01/browns-shouldnt-ignore-gm-andrew-berrys-role-in-last-two-failed-seasons-dan-labbe.html

[Auggie]

4. Thank you for sharing!

IMO Browns need a front office and head coach that can identify the best skill sets for Watson and Sanders and build the team around those. Like it or not, Watson is still on the payroll for big bucks. The biggest obstacle is getting Watson and Sanders to sign into that thinking. What a coach sees and what a player wants is not always the same. And PLEASE don't waste a high draft pick on a receiver. The O-line needs new blood.

[Botany]

2. The Steelers over the past 50 years have had a simple philosophy which is hire and keep good

coaches and if there is a problem get new players and so they have been winners for years.
Jimmy Haslam supported the J-6th shits, screwed over the city of Cleveland by moving the
Browns to a new stadium in a neighboring village, and by firing Stefanski he has doomed the
Browns to mediocrity for years.

I grew up and have been a life long Browns fan and they are dead to me. I hope Garrett gets
out of Cleveland.

[Auggie]

5. Garrett is signed through the 2030 season

There were many games this year where the offense just didn't look prepared. That blame falls on the head coach.

[Botany]

6. I admit I really didn't watch much of the Browns this year and was rooting for them to lose

But Stefanski is gonna be hired in a heartbeat and he will be successful.

[Auggie]

7. Agree about Haslam. I also think Stefanski's offenses have looked flat and predictable.

And you have to wonder if Stefanski mismanaged the Baker Mayfield situation. And FFS, what head coach would be okay with signing a QB to a five-year guaranteed contract worth $230 million? He should have resigned.

BTW, Watson's cap hit for 2026, unless restructured, is $80,716,514.

[Xavier Breath]

3. ...

[RockRaven]

8. This is one of the least attractive HC jobs.

Owner sucks. Meddling and foolish, a bad combo. Executives suck, mewling yes-men.

No QB worth a darn.

A ton of dead cap space from the Watson contract over the next 2 years.

There are far better jobs available to the top candidates. They will get someone, there are only 32 of these jobs after all, but it won't be someone with lots of other options.

[Auggie]

9. +1

[tishaLA]

10. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Watson a Haslam thing

More than a Berry thing? Maybe I'm being a homer because he did a great job with the Eagles (then again so did Joe Douglas) and my perhaps incorrect belief was that Haslam thought signing Watson would be a boon financially and in terms of publicity for the franchise.

[Auggie]

11. It was ...

but Berry could have screamed "no!" You would have to think any experienced football executive at that level would see the perils of agreeing to that much money and surrendering so many high draft picks, plus Watson's sexual assault accusations and potential suspension.

Stefanski would have to see it too. And a lot-of the front office and coaching staff. I think a mounted effort on their part could have changed Haslam's mind.

Unless, of course, these guys are utter morons or cowards.