Insider addresses if Browns’ Kevin Stefanski lost locker room

Whispers surfaced in November lengthy earlier than the Cleveland Browns ended the 2024 season with a document of 3-14 that workforce proprietor Jimmy Haslam may half methods with head coach Kevin Stefanski this winter. Nevertheless, Haslam caught with each Stefanski and normal supervisor Andrew Berry earlier than All-Professional pass-rusher Myles Garrett made it recognized earlier this month that he needs to be traded as a result of he does not “really feel like our future is aligned with successful proper now.” 

In a mailbag printed late Sunday evening, Browns insider Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand indicated one purpose Haslam retained Stefanski is that gamers did not surrender on the ultimate month of what shortly turned a misplaced season for the group. 

“Stefanski didn’t lose the locker room,” Grossi shared. “Did you hear Myles Garrett say he needs to be traded due to teaching? No, he stated he didn’t align with the imaginative and prescient of the ‘higher-ups,’ aka, the GM. For my part, the coach has outperformed many others in that constructing over the past 5 years.”

Stefanski gained the Related Press Coach of the Yr Award for the second time throughout his Cleveland tenure when he guided the 2023 Browns to the playoffs as veteran quarterback Joe Flacco turned the Related Press Comeback Participant of the Yr Award winner for that season. Nevertheless, the 2024 Browns had been a misplaced trigger even earlier than Week 1 beginning signal-caller Deshaun Watson suffered a torn Achilles on Oct. 20, a lot in order that one unnamed Cleveland participant acknowledged after the membership fell to 2-7 that he had “by no means been in a spot the place the season is over earlier than the bye week.” 

Later, a number of media personalities stated they felt sure Browns gamers “stop” throughout what turned a Week 11 35-14 defeat on the New Orleans Saints. Cleveland in the end beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 4 days after the Saints debacle however then did not earn one other win by means of Week 18. 

Stefanski, Berry and others throughout the Browns reportedly really feel the membership is an efficient quarterback away from making a second journey to the playoffs in three seasons. If Berry finally ends up buying a confirmed signal-caller equivalent to Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons however the Browns once more fail to qualify for the postseason in January 2026, Haslam presumably may blow issues as much as formally transfer the franchise into its post-Watson period.