The Cleveland Browns ended their 2025 season with a record-setting performance by Myles Garrett. However, with no playoff fruits for the Browns, Kevin Stefanski’s future was in limbo after a season that saw Cleveland finish with a 5-12 mark, ranking at the bottom of PFSN’s NFL OFFi.
The Browns fired Stefanski on Monday after Week 18. However, they retained general manager Andrew Berry, who will lead the search for the next coach. Let’s examine the former Browns’ head coach’s salary and contract details, as well as the potential financial obligations the organization will incur now that his contract has been terminated before its expiration.
Former Browns HC Kevin Stefanski’s Contract and Salary
The Browns organization had announced in June 2024 that they were going to re-sign HC Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry for the next couple of years. The extension was expected to serve at least till the 2026 and upcoming NFL seasons, but the franchise ended up firing the head coach.
According to reports, Stefanski earns a $3.5 million annual salary for coaching the Browns. While his contract extension years and terms were not officially revealed, let’s consider three different scenarios and determine how much the Browns could owe him.
Scenario 1: Two Years Remaining on the Contract
Since the Browns fired Stefanski before the 2026 season, and if his 2024 extension ran through the 2027 season, two guaranteed years would remain (2026 and 2027). With an annual salary of $3.5 million, the Browns would owe a total of $7 million.
This is the most realistic outcome based on standard NFL head coach extensions.
Scenario 2: Three Years Remaining on the Contract
If Stefanski’s extension ran through the 2028 season, three guaranteed years would remain at the time of dismissal (2026, 2027, 2028). At $3.5 million per year, the total financial obligation would rise to approximately $10.5 million.
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This scenario applies only if the Browns granted a longer-term extension with full guarantees, which has not been publicly confirmed.
Scenario 3: Partial Guarantees or Offset Clause (Least Damaging)
In a less common but team-friendly setup, the contract could include partial guarantees or an offset clause reducing the payout if Stefanski were hired elsewhere. In that case, the Browns’ obligation could fall below $7 million, depending on offsets.
However, there is no public reporting indicating that such clauses exist in his deal.
Since Stefanski was fired before the 2026 season, they would owe between $7 million and $10.5 million, with $7 million being the most defensible and likely figure based on his reported $3.5 million annual salary and standard NFL contract structure.
“We have tremendous gratitude for Kevin’s leadership of the Cleveland Browns over the last six seasons,” Browns Managing and Principal Partners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement after firing Stefanski. “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,” They added. “We wish Kevin, Michelle and the Stefanski family all the best in the future.”
