With the early slate of Week 18 NFL games coming to an end, potentially so does head coach Kevin Stefanski’s time with the Cleveland Browns. After today’s 20-18 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Stefanski gave a straightforward response on his future with the team.
Kevin Stefanski Deflects Job Rumors, Keeps Focus on Browns’ Locker Room
Stefanski’s time with the Browns has been marked by inconsistency. Despite being a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year winner (2020 and 2023), the team has had only two winning seasons since he joined in 2020 (11-5 and 11-6). Through 101 games, he has a head coach record of 45-56 with the team and a 1-2 record in the playoffs.
Amid rumors of his termination, the media inquired about his future with the team, prompting a blunt response from Stefanski.
Here’s the full back-and-forth of #Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski when asked about his future following today’s win over the #Bengals pic.twitter.com/wrnbMMvrVp
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) January 4, 2026
“Respectfully, this game’s not about me. I told you guys that. I’m proud of that group for fighting.”
The media continued to press Stefanski about his future with the team, which led to a back-and-forth exchange in which he said, “… With all respect to that attempt by you, I’m not making the focus about me.”
After trying to press him on the topic one more time, Stefanski responded with, “I’m going to spend the next thirty minutes celebrating with this team.”
The interaction between Stefanski and reporters demonstrates a great deal of class on his part. The organization and its players have been under heavy scrutiny this season, and Stefanski continues to emphasize that this isn’t all about him; it’s about the team.
Cleveland’s offense, for which Stefanski surrendered play-calling duties in November, struggled all season. The unit received an F grade (52.4) in PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric, ranking them No. 32 in the league, just below the Tennessee Titans.
Understandably, the media would want his comment on his future, but he shows the utmost class by making the media session about his players, and not himself. He likely already knows his future with the team, but he’d rather celebrate the players’ work than focus on rumors about his own future.
The writing is likely already on the wall for Stefanski, and if he is to be fired, he should be picked up by a team promptly. There are teams like the Tennessee Titans and the New York Giants, which could be good fits considering their high-potential rookie quarterbacks, and Stefanski is an offensive-minded head coach after all. Regardless, he should be the top name available, assuming he’s fired.
