Tag: Kevin Stefanski

Browns have the toughest strength of schedule in 2024

The Browns will have to earn a playoff spot in 2024

The NFL schedule announcement will be coming soon, but the strength of the schedule has already been figured out based on last season. Sitting here before the preseason, the Cleveland Browns have the hardest schedule in the league, as their opponents were a combined 158-131 in 2023.

Of course, that is going off of last year’s records, and the rosters of those teams look different heading into 2024. The Browns will face a total of 12 games against teams that had winning records last season. One nice aspect is several of their toughest opponents, the Steelers, Ravens, Chiefs, Dolphins, Cowboys, and Bengals, will be played at home.

Granted, they will also have to play their division rivals on the road as well. The Browns have a second-place schedule after last year, and that’ll make getting back to the playoffs harder in 2024, but if this roster plays up to its potential, they will be ready for the challenge.

Browns host girls high school flag football championship in Cleveland

The event took place in Cleveland Browns Stadium

The high school girls’ flag football championships took place in Cleveland Browns Stadium this year, with 28 teams participating in the competition. Greg Newsome II was among the group from the Browns that helped run the event, and he spoke about it afterward.

Newsome talked about how the event has grown this year, with more teams than last year with multiple teams returning to play again. He talked about how great it is to be a part of something like this and how much fun the participants had with Mayfield taking home the championship.

Also in attendance for the Browns were head coach Kevin Stefanski, special teamer Justin Hardee Sr., and assistant coaches Duce Staley, Callie Brownson, and Ashton Grant.

It’s great to see the Browns put on events like this to encourage kids to get active and enjoy the sport at a young age. The Browns are back in action this weekend with rookie minicamp in Berea.

Browns HC Kevin Stefanski launches new foundation to serve underprivileged kids in Cleveland

The head coach is giving back.

On the heels of receiving a new contract this offseason from the Cleveland Browns, head coach Kevin Stefanski is digging his roots into Northeast Ohio.

Announced today, the head coach and his family are launching a new foundation, The Keepers Foundation, to aim at serving underprivileged youth in Cleveland.

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From their website, here is the mission statement of The Keepers Foundation:

“The Keepers Foundation invites you to invest in our youth. In a world where opportunities are not equally distributed, The Keepers Foundation is a source of hope for young people in our communities. The Keepers Foundation seeks to raise vital funds to support young individuals in Northeast Ohio by fostering a sense of shared responsibility. Financial support from sponsors will enable The Keepers Foundation to support programs and initiatives aimed at empowering individuals through educational opportunities, mentorship programs, or access to essential resources. Your support will play a pivotal role in unlocking the potential of these young individuals, equipping them with the tools and resources they need to succeed.”

HC Kevin Stefanski talks football with QB Deshaun Watson during podcast

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski joined Deshaun Watson on the QB Unplugged podcast

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski joined franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson at the opening of Watson’s new restaurant in Cleveland, Lefty’s Cheesesteaks. Stefanski hopped on the mic with Watson and quarterback trainer Quincy Avery for a live podcast of their show, QB Unplugged. Stefanski wore a Glenville High School sweatshirt to represent the city’s proud football culture. 

Stefanski spoke about football during his 20-minute interview. He and Watson spent some time breaking down a play-action pass from earlier in the season. The play occurred during a rainstorm against the Bengals. 

The two narrate the why behind the play, and how it unfolded in real time. Plays never look as clean as when they’re drawn up. The Bengals put pressure on Watson who stepped into the pocket and delivered a 35-yard strike to Elijah Moore for a first down. Stefanski expressed pride in Watson’s ability to navigate the pocket when the play went awry.

The quarterback and head coach were extremely complimentary of each other over the interview. The two seem to have a great relationship. The pair will need a strong bond for the team to be competitive in the postseason next year.

 

Browns owners say extensions for Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry are coming

Well deserved extensions are coming soon

The NFL Owners’ meetings are underway in Orlando, Florida, and Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam have revealed what some of us have been expecting for a while now. According to the Haslams, Cleveland will soon be extending head coach Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry.

Since Stefanski has been in charge for the past four seasons, the team has had 37 wins and two playoff appearances. By comparison, the Browns had 14 wins in the previous four seasons before he took over. The job he did this past season in the face of all the injuries and adversity earned the extension alone.

Andrew Berry has managed the salary cap beautifully since taking over and built a roster good enough to win 11 games with over 25 percent of the salary cap on injured reserve. He has his misses just the same as any general manager, but the overall roster of the Browns is in a great place to win consistently for years to come.

Evolving the offense: Examining the Browns’ diverse offensive hires

Kevin Stefanski and the Cleveland Browns should have high expectations for their diversified their offensive coaching staff

The Cleveland Browns were incredibly busy during the coaching cycle. The Browns parted ways with most offensive staff, including NFL legends Bill Callahan, Stump Mitchell, and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. The Browns also parted ways with two positional coaches, tight ends coach T.C. McCartney and defensive line coach Ben Bloom. 

The coaching cycle has closed at the professional and collegiate levels. The Browns are no longer at risk of losing any of their new coaches to enticing offers elsewhere. It’s time to examine how Kevin Stefanski has replaced his longtime staff. Kevin Stefanski hired a host of coaches from diverse offensive backgrounds.

The Browns need new ideas and perspectives as they continue evolving the offense to form around quarterback Deshaun Watson. Stefanski could have retreated into his philosophy by hiring coaches associated with wide-zone offenses, in an attempt to reify his system. The organization stepped forward in the right direction by broadening its horizon and looking outside its system. 

Stefanski and General Manager Andrew Berry’s fates are no longer married to Watson’s fate. However, it’s still best for the organization if Watson performs well on the field. Stefanski’s staff hires are a rededication to their quarter of a billion-dollar quarterback.

The Browns brought in Ken Dorsey, the former Browns’ quarterback, as their new offensive coordinator. Dorsey has built his career working with dual-threat quarterbacks like Cam Newton and Josh Allen. He helped the two hone their craft. The two quarterbacks became better at passing the ball due to the superior attention to detail that Dorsey demands from his players. Dorsey also helped the two quarterbacks avoid hits, prioritizing their safety by reducing how frequently they ran. 

Watson could greatly benefit from Dorsey’s ideas and leadership. Avoidable hits ended Watson’s 2023 season. If Dorsey can keep the quarterback upright, then Watson will be poised for a great 2024 season. 

The Browns brought in Duce Staley to replace running backs coach Stump Mitchell. Duce has experience working on run-pass-option concepts. His familiarity should help the Browns expand their offense, as they have struggled to implement them.

New tight end coach Tommy Rees provides a wealth of knowledge on run-pass-option plays. The former University of Alabama offensive coordinator relied heavily on the concepts.  Rees controls a small room, with the Browns only rostering three tight ends. The position is unique in the offense as they must contribute in all three phases on offense. They have to block both in the run game and passing game, as well as, run routes and catch the football. As the tight end coach, Rees will help marry the run game with the passing game. 

The Browns hired Andy Dickerson and Roy Istvan as their offensive line coaches. Dickerson is the only coach who has an extensive history with the wide zone system the Browns have operated. Dickerson served as the assistant offensive line coach for the Los Angeles Rams under Sean McVay. In 2021, he followed Shane Waldron to Seattle, becoming the offensive line coach of the Seahawks. Dickerson’s understanding of the[anyclip-media thumbnail=”undefined” playlistId=”undefined” content=”dW5kZWZpbmVk”][/anyclip-media] wide zone offense should help Stefanski work through any challenges with his core philosophy.  

Assistant offensive line coach Istvan bounced around the collegiate and secondary school levels for over two decades before landing a job with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019. The coach has worked in a plethora of systems and should help adapt the offense for the 2024 season.

It’s unclear whether the Browns will hire a quarterbacks coach for the 2024 season. The Browns didn’t carry one last season after then-quarterback coach Drew Petzig by the Cardinals for their offensive coordinator position. Instead, they relied on offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and assistant Ashton Grant to lead the room. 

The Browns could keep Grant in the assistant role, with Dorsey overseeing him, or promote him to the position later in the offseason. With the coaching cycle near a close, it’s unlikely that the Browns go outside to fill the position. 

The Browns have done an admirable job of rebuilding their coaching staff this offseason. While it is impossible to replace legends of the trade like Bill Callahan, the Browns made a great effort to evolve their staff. The team looked outside their system and philosophies to find solutions to the problems modern defenses are presenting. The offense’s new look will prime them to become one of the elite units in the NFL.

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Browns’ Kevin Stefanski criminally low in play-caller rankings

More disrespect for the Browns head coach

With a large amount of the team’s salary cap on injured reserve and five different quarterbacks starting under center, head coach Kevin Stefanski led the Cleveland Browns to 11 wins and another playoff appearance this past season. Despite that, Pro Football Network ranked him as the 15th-best play caller in the NFL heading into 2024.

It is ludicrous to rank him down there. He found a way to win with both P.J. Walker and a rookie, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who wasn’t ready to start this year. Despite some awful quarterback play, Stefanski got enough out of his offense to win 11 games.

The results on the field and the corresponding film don’t match this ranking at all. There are not 14 better play callers than Stefanski. Most teams would be sunk by losing their starting quarterback, but Stefanski rose to the occasion and got the most out of everyone on the field, and that is what a great play caller does.

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Browns officially announce the hiring of Andy Dickerson, Roy Istvan with a statement from Kevin Stefanski

The Browns officially announce their new OL coach and assistant OL coach!

The Cleveland Browns have announced the hiring of offensive line coach Andy Dickerson and assistant offensive line coach Roy Istvan as head coach Kevin Stefanski released a statement.

As Bill Callahan departs to work with his son as the offensive line coach of the Tennessee Titans, the Browns brought in Dickerson, who has been an integral part of the run games and offensive line play for both the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. He even interviewed for the opening at offensive coordinator in Cleveland.

Upon his hire, Stefanski had this to say about Dickerson:

“We were all very impressed with Andy, along with his background and knowledge when we first met about our offensive coordinator position… When our offensive line position opened, he was among the first calls I made. Andy loves teaching and will bring a passion and energy that will greatly benefit our linemen. He understands the high standard that room must have in order for our offense to be successful and we know he’s excited about being back in the building with this organization.”

Dickerson brings with him Istvan, who took a lateral gig after working with one of the best in the business for five years with the Philadelphia Eagles. With experience learning from Eagles’ offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, Istvan brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with him.

There is no replacing Callahan, so life without the legendary offensive line coach will be worth watching. However, pulling in Dickerson and Istvan to take the baton and run with it is quite the start to the new era in Cleveland.

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Report: Browns expected to extend contracts of Andrew Berry, Kevin Stefanski

They’ll be here for the forseeable future.

The Cleveland Browns are expected to extend the contracts of both general manager Andrew Berry and NFL Coach of the Year and head coach Kevin Stefanski after an improbable 11-win season.

ESPN’s Scott Fowler has reported that he has heard a ton of buzz about the impending contract extensions for Berry and Stefanski:

“Expect contract extensions to occur for Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry sometime this offseason. Both have matching five-year deals that are set to expire after the 2024 season. They performed well this past year to execute a playoff push, and all signs point to them being in Cleveland for the foreseeable future.”

Adding to that noise, Cleveland dot com’s Mary Kay Cabot has added:

“It’s a testament to Berry and Stefanski to make the playoffs in an injury-ravaged season like this. Stefanski has overhauled the defensive and offensive staffs after his first four seasons, but it’s all an effort to get the Browns to the next level, which is the Super Bowl. In terms of the extensions, it’s a matter of when, not if. I think it will be sooner than later, but they’re coming.”

The Browns have not had continuity since they returned to the league in 1999. Now entering year-five, and looking like they’ll be around for the foreseeable future, the Browns now have that in Stefanski and Berry.

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Browns HC Kevin Stefanski jokes during radio call-in about being called ‘Stephen’

The Browns head coach had a good laugh about being called by the wrong name

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski won his second NFL Coach of the Year award in his first four seasons with the team.

The announcement at Thursday’s NFL Honors didn’t go off without a hitch, however. As actor Justin Hartley announced the award, he said “Stephen Stefanski” by mistake.

On Friday morning, the Browns head coach called into “The Ken Carmen Show with Anthony Lima” on 92.3 The Fan and revealed that he has a cousin named Steve, whom he and his son called after the blunder.

Stefanski said his cousin answered the phone and simply said, “I did it.” Over the past year or so, Kevin Stefanski has shown even more of his personality, and it feels like the culture shift fans have wanted for so long has finally come to Cleveland and is here to stay.

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