Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders experienced a difficult rookie season under head coach Kevin Stefanski, and former Super Bowl champion Leonard Fournette took issue with the situation. Stefanski spent six years in Cleveland, and his firing might signal some relief for Sanders, who will now play for a proven offensive mind in new head coach Todd Monken.
What did Fournette have to say about the former Browns coach?
Leonard Fournette Criticizes Kevin Stefanski’s Management of Shedeur Sanders
Stefanski threw Sanders into the deep end in 2025, sending the quarterback in to replace fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel during a Week 11 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Sanders could not keep his head above water, completing 25% of his passes, suffering two sacks, and throwing one interception.
There was little evidence that Stefanski tried to build a system around Sanders, as the quarterback seemed more like a project the coach threw against the wall to see what would stick. He finished the season with a 3-5 record as a starter, 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
Fournette, who won a Super Bowl with Tom Brady in 2021, was highly displeased with how Stefanski handled the young signal-caller.
“[The situation with Stefanski] bothers me,” he told Jarvis Landry on “Fourth & South“. The sh** he had going on with Shedeur. If you have a guy there who could be your franchise maker, that can change the organization… And I’m not sure why [Stefanski] didn’t want to play him. But I got a problem with coaches like that.”
Stefanski’s six-year run at the helm of the Browns produced a 45-56 regular-season record. His two winning seasons in Cleveland do little to cover up what has largely been a disappointing stint in Ohio.
“To me, his resume is not good at all,” Fournette added. “I’m just being real. And he gets another shot at coaching, [while] guys like me and you with great resumes didn’t get another shot [to play with another team]… He is one of those coaches I don’t ever want to play for.”
Landry, who played wide receiver in the NFL for nine seasons, including four with the Cleveland Browns, followed up on Fournette’s sentiment with his own view. He believes that while he saw some success under Stefanski, the coach was elevated to head coach too soon.
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Stefanski spent 14 years in the Minnesota Vikings organization, working his way up to offensive coordinator in 2019. After a 10-6 campaign that year (79.1 PFSN Offense Impact), the Browns hired him to succeed Freddie Kitchens.
What people make of his run in Cleveland is water under the bridge, as most of the focus now turns to Sanders in his second year.
