When considering the NFL’s Coach of the Year candidate, voters (and I’m honored to be one) will often consider the head coach who has done the most with the most adversity. At this point, you have to consider the case of Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.
After their 20-17 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, the Browns are 9-5, right on the heels of the Baltimore Ravens for command of the AFC South. And they’ve done this with a ridiculous number of injuries — right now, a full 25.8% of the team’s salary cap is on injured reserve, the highest such rate in the NFL. That includes alleged franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson, and running back Nick Chubb, the team’s best offensive player. The Browns’ walking wounded has also included large parts of their offensive and defensive lines and secondary,
With Joe Flacco, who Stefanski picked up off the couch a couple weeks ago, the Browns are now on their fourth quarterback this season. But on both sides of the ball, Stefanski (the primary offensive shot-caller) and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz have done everything possible to maintain excellence. Coming into Sunday’s win, the Browns ranked 12th overall in DVOA — first on defense, and 28th on offense. But in the second half of the season, once Flacco became The Guy, they’ve risen from 28th to 21st with a bullet.
Moreover, Stefanski and his crew are pulling wins out of the most improbable situations — that includes the Bears victory, because Cleveland was down 17-7 nearly all the way through the third quarter.
Joe Flacco in the 4th Quarter:
11/13 passing for 212 yards and a touchdown.
— Cory (@fakecorykinnan) December 17, 2023
The Browns win probability was as low as 10.7% when they trailed 17-7 with 0:55 remaining in the 3rd quarter in their 20-17 victory over the Bears.
The Browns have a league-high 4 wins in games where their win probability dropped below 15% this season.#CHIvsCLE | #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/aORbU1XinX
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 17, 2023
The Browns finish their 2023 regular season with games against the Houston Texans, New York Jets, and Cincinnati Bengals, which gives them a very good chance of a double digit-win season. And if that’s the case, Stefanski could get a whole lot of votes for Coach of the Year.
He’ll certainly have my consideration.