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Despite Playoff Mistakes, Cleveland Browns Coach Kevin Stefanski Proved Himself This Year

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There are moments from the Cleveland Browns’ 22-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday that Kevin Stefanski surely will want back. Maybe he wouldn’t challenge Tyreek Hill’s second half catch if he had a chance to think the decision over and ponder the loss of a timeout. Maybe he’d be more aggressive as a play caller, particularly in the fourth quarter on what became the team’s best drive. There are more moments to nitpick, but the point is simple: Sunday was not Stefanski’s best game.

“I'll reflect later [on the season],” Stefanski said after the loss. “I think right now it stings when you don't get the job done that you came to get done.”

And that’s also ok. This was his first moment on the biggest stage. (Remember: Due to him having the coronavirus, he was in his basement for the Browns’ win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week.) The Chiefs are also very good and Andy Reid coached an unbelievable game game down the stretch — there’s no real shame in losing that game.

It’s also clear that Stefanski is the man for Cleveland, the coach the team has wanted since the franchise returned in 1999 and, if it could do it again, wish it had hired prior to the 2019 season when the Browns instead hired Freddie Kitchens. Stefanski’s arrival changes things for the Browns. His play calling and approach got the most out of Baker Mayfield, who regressed heavily under Kitchens. It took some time for him to settle in and break some bad habits, but Mayfield is clearly the man now. That might not have happened if Stefanski wasn’t the man in charge. His hiring is worth it for that alone. Quarterback is the most important position in football and the Browns finally have seemingly solved that.

Stefanski succeeded in other ways too. In a year where practices were limited preseason and in-season — Cleveland lost basically two-weeks worth after a COVID-19 outbreak — the Browns were able to install a new system and have a really good offense. Per Football Outsiders, the Browns had the eighth-best offense in the league per DVOA, with the 10th-best passing offense and the ninth-best rushing attack. That’s just flat-out impressive for a first-year head coach, regardless of if install and practice time was limited or not. A year ago, Cleveland’s offense looked broken and now it’s the main driver of where the team is headed. He (along with Bill Callahan, perhaps the best offensive line coach in the league) also deserve credit for having the Browns’ unit become arguably the best in the league.

Also of note: Stefanski is locked into Cleveland. In time, maybe the Alex Van Pelt’s of the world get their own head coaching opportunities. But Stefanski being the head coach and play caller gives the Browns some insulation to coaching staff turnover that will happen if the team continues to succeed. If Stefanski is the real deal — and it appears he is — they can survive coaches leaving and things changing over time. This set-up can go wrong (think Doug Pedersen with the Philadelphia Eagles) but it was a wise choice for the Browns to go in this direction even after Kitchens didn’t work in the same scenario.

Now, there are next steps to take. An extension for Mayfield is coming, as are ones for Denzel Ward and perhaps Nick Chubb. A path forward with Odell Beckham Jr. (who is likely to be back if only because it’s hard to trade a player coming off of an ACL injury) has to be figured out next year too. The overall roster needs be fine-tuned if the Browns want to take the next step. The cap might take a hit due to COVID-19 related revenue losses and every team will feel the brunt of that.

But the foundation is there. Mayfield and Ward and Myles Garrett are in place. The line is locked in for a few more years. There’s money to spend and draft capital to spend to shore up the roster’s weaknesses. And Stefanski will be the man pulling the strings. This should be only the beginning of him in charge and leading the Browns to success.

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