A two-time NFL Coach of the Year is suddenly available.
The Cleveland Browns fired Kevin Stefanski on Monday after six seasons, making him one of the more established candidates on the open market.
“He is a good football coach and an even better person,” Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslem said in a statement. “We appreciate all his hard work and dedication to our organization but our results over the last two seasons have not been satisfactory.”
Stefanski went 45-56 as the Browns’ head coach but was 37-30 through his first four seasons, despite having to navigate a revolving door at quarterback.
He was the NFL Coach of the Year for the 2020 and 2023 seasons, leading the Browns to 11 wins and a playoff berth both times.
But Cleveland went 8-26 over the last two seasons, including 5-12 this year. Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders started games at quarterback for the Browns in 2025.
Stefanski, 43, becomes an intriguing candidate for the Giants (4-13), who fired head coach Brian Daboll in November and promoted Mike Kafka to interim HC for the final seven games.
As the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterbacks coach and later offensive coordinator from 2017-19, Stefanski found success with QBs Case Keenum and Kirk Cousins. Baker Mayfield and Flacco also delivered strong seasons under Stefanski in Cleveland.
From 2019-23, Stefanski’s teams finished between 14th and 18th in total offense every year.
“Working with a young team and imperfect roster, he laid a foundation of professionalism while also creating an environment of learning for a new wave of Browns players,” said Browns general manager Andrew Berry, whom the team retained. “I am disappointed that we could not accomplish more together and the collective underperformance of our group is something I own.”
The Giants’ next coaching staff will be tasked with the development of 22-year-old Jaxson Dart, who just completed a promising rookie season in which he passed for 15 touchdowns against five interceptions and rushed for nine scores.
Stefanski’s exit followed Atlanta’s firing of head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot.
