Kevin Stefanski’s Coaching Reign has brought Continuity to the Browns

(Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

Prior to Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski’s arrival in 2020, the team he took command of was a mess with a continuous rotation of players and coaches. There have been no previous coaches since the team returned in 1999 to make it to a fourth season.

While Cleveland has still not turned the corner on being a legitimate contender in the NFL, they seem to be close. Stefanski and his team in 2020 toyed with our psyches when they managed to push into the playoffs and win a game there.

Since then, the team has had two subpar seasons, but they’ve played tough in most games. This will obviously be a big season for Stefanski. The team has collected more talent to surround the coach and he will be expected to collect wins.

While Stefanski is likely safe with his job regardless of the results this season there will still be pressure to win.

Stefanski seems to have an easy-going way of approaching the game. He doesn’t come across as a yeller or angry guy. That perception can be a positive but also negative.

Many Browns fans over the past three seasons have argued for Stefanski to become fierier and more animated. That’s not going to win the team any more games, but some still stick to that belief.

Before Stefanski arrived in Berea, he was a 14-year-long assistant coach with the Minnesota Vikings. That’s a long time to stay with one franchise and there’s something to be said about a coach that can stick around that long.

Back in Cleveland now, year four has crept up on us all. It seems like yesterday that Stefanski was introduced as the new head coach. I’m not here to suggest that the coach should be here ten years from now but some of the most successful NFL teams have had coaches that have been around for a while.

In Pittsburgh, the Steelers have been led by Mike Tomlin for the past 16 seasons. Andy Reid has been the coach of the Kansas City Chiefs for the past 10 years. Bill Belichick has been with the New England Patriots since the 2000 season.

This isn’t to suggest the Browns will win automatically if they keep Stefanski for the foreseeable future but there are far more positive results when you allow coaches time.

There will always be pressure on Stefanski to win but providing the team with time to learn and improve as a squad under one common voice seems like a good idea.

We don’t want to go back to the days of former Browns coach Hue Jackson and that dismal 1-31-1 catastrophe. Stefanski is honestly the polar opposite of Jackson and just that fact alone has helped this team mend some big wounds.

The Browns might not be Super Bowl bound, but the continuity and right messages that are being shared today are a big win for this organization and the future of this Cleveland team.