Browns Dump Kevin Stefanski but Keep GM

By Matt Schauf | Updated on Mon, Jan 5 2026 2:27 PM UTC

The Browns on Monday fired HC Kevin Stefanski after six seasons. Cleveland went 44-56 in the regular season across those years, making the playoffs twice and winning a playoff game in Stefanski's debut campaign. The past two seasons, however, have seen the Browns go 3-14 and 4-12. An official statement from team ownership specifically blamed those records for the firing. GM Andrew Berry, however, remains in his role. Berry assumed GM duties in the same offseason in which Stefanski arrived.

What They're Saying

Ownership statement: "We have tremendous gratitude for Kevin's leadership of the Cleveland Browns over the last six seasons. He is a good football coach and an even better person. ... but our results over the last two seasons have not been satisfactory, and we believe a change at the head coaching position is necessary. ... Andrew Berry will continue to lead our football operations."

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo: "The Browns fire HC Kevin Stefanski, which makes him an immediate candidate for other jobs, and I'd expect the Giants to have interest."

Berry: "Now, our attention turns to the search for the person to lead and develop what will be a young offense with heavy investment over the next six months to match and build on the performance of a young defense that is already playing at an elite level."

Fantasy Football Impact

QB stands out as the most obvious spot for potential offseason action, but the Browns might need to prioritize the O-line.

RT Jack Conklin looks like the only clear starter currently under contract for 2026. He'll turn 32 in the middle of August, missed nine games this season and has missed at least three games each of the past five years.

The Browns' No. 6 position in Round 1 of the NFL Draft could further complicate their QB search and potentially push the team toward the free agent market.

Of course, Deshaun Watson also remains on the books, thanks to arguably the worst contract in sports history. So there's a lot for this team to sort out.

It's way too early to call any remaining Brown a winner or loser on this coaching news.

Matt Schauf, Editor

Matt has earned two Fantasy Pros accuracy awards for IDP rankings and won thousands of dollars as a player across best ball, dynasty, and high-stakes fantasy formats. He has been creating fantasy football content for more than 20 years, with work featured by Sporting News, Rotoworld, Athlon, Sirius XM, and others. He's been with Draft Sharks since 2011.