The Cleveland Browns are firing head coach Kevin Stefanski, the club announced Monday. The move comes one day after Cleveland concluded a 5-12 season on Sunday.
"This was a difficult decision and today is a tough day for our organization because of the impact Kevin has and the deep, meaningful relationships he has built across our building," GM Andrew Berry said. "We have great respect for Kevin... 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. I am disappointed we could not accomplish more together and the collective underperformance of our group is something I own."
Berry announcing Stefanski's firing is an indication the general manager will remain in place moving forward. He was hired as the club's GM and executive VP of football operations in 2020 alongside Stefanski.
Stefanski led Cleveland to an 11-5 regular season and a playoff win in 2020, and an 11-6 mark with a playoff appearance in 2023. He was named the AP NFL Coach of the Year after both of those seasons.
But the Browns went 3-14 in 2024 and then 5-12 this fall. He exits Cleveland with a 45-56 record, making him the 12th consecutive Browns head coach to exit stage left with a below .500 winning percentage. At .446, Stefanski is Cleveland's most successful head coach since Bill Belichick went 36-44 (.450) from 1991-95, and his 6-season tenure is the club's longest since Sam Rutigliano's 7-season run from 1978-84.
The last full-time Cleveland Browns head coach to leave the organization with a winning record was Marty Schottenheimer, who went 44-27 (.620) from 1984-88.
Prior to Cleveland, Stefanski spent 2006-19 with the Minnesota Vikings, starting as an off-field assistant to the head coach and ending as offensive coordinator. The former All-Ivy League defensive back spent one season as the assistant director of football operations at Penn, his alma mater, before Minnesota.