In the case of Kevin Stefanski who is the current head coach of the Cleveland Browns, we have an individual who was never good enough to even make it past college-level football. His father was a former basketball player Ed Stefanski who was drafted in the NBA but never got to play a game. According to the senior Stefanski, Kevin always had a good IQ in both football and basketball but he never had sufficient talent to play either at the highest level. However, what stands out is his IQ which got Kevin into the NFL as a coach.
How long has Kevin Stefanski been coaching?
Kevin Stefanski has been in the NFL in various coaching positions for approximately 18 years now. His first job came his way in 2006 when the Minnesota Vikings gave him the opportunity to become the assistant to the head coach, a position he would hold for three years. In his fourteen-year-long tenure with the Vikings, Stefanski saw multiple role changes working his way up the ladder.
From 2009 to 2013, Stefanski enjoyed the role of an assistant quarterbacks coach. In this role, he would get a chance to coach the iconic Brett Favre. He then transitioned to becoming the tight ends coach, the running backs coach, and the quarterbacks coach within a few years. In 2018, along with being the quarterback coach, he was made the interim offensive coordinator and then continued that position in 2019 as well.
Following the 2019 season with the Vikings, the Browns were interested in bringing him to Cleveland and worked out a deal where he became their new head coach. As a result, he signed a five year deal for the 2020 NFL season.
What is the Cleveland Browns record under Stefanski?
As of August 2023, Kevin Stefanski holds a 26-24 record in his three years as the Browns head coach. The decision to hire Stefanski who lacked any prior head coaching experience may have come out of the blue, but the management and the fans were convinced he was the right candidate for the job.
According to reports, the two men in the running for the job were Stefanski and the defensive minded Robert Saleh. What turned things in Stefanski’s favor was the brilliant work he had done with quarterbacks such as Kirk Cousins and Case Keenum. The franchise felt that Stefanski could do the same with their franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield.
His first year with the team went surprisingly well as they finished with an 11-5 winning season and made it to the playoffs. Defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round, the Browns earned their first postseason victory since 1994.
However, the Browns were not able to sustain the momentum from Stefanski’s first year. For the past two years, the team has had a losing record and is looking to bounce back. With Deshaun Watson now as QB1, Stefanski has the challenge to get him back to his initial years in Houston. The biggest problem lies in the fact that they are probably in the most difficult division in the AFC with strong teams such as the Bengals, Ravens, and Steelers.
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FAQs
A. Kevin Stefanski is 41 years old as of August 2023. He was born on May 8, 1982.
A. Kevin Stefanski went undrafted as a player. He played as a defensive back in college.
A. Kevin Stefanski’s coaching career started with the Minnesota Vikings with whom he spent fourteen years.
A. Kevin Stefanski who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is American by nationality.
A. Kevin Stefanski signed a five-year deal with the Cleveland Browns on January 13, 2020.
