In his first four seasons in Cleveland, head coach Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns has amassed a respectable resume.
Stefanski is a contender for a contract extension this offseason thanks to two postseason appearances, two NFL Coach of the Year Awards, the fifth-most wins and fifth-best winning percentage by a full-time head coach in franchise history, and a steady presence in the locker room and on the sidelines.
Despite the fact that about one-third of the head coaches in the league call their own plays, this hasn’t stopped some fans’ persistent ire against Stefanski for calling offensive plays. Or the endless speculation about whether offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey will eventually take over as play-caller this season, replacing Stefanski as the team’s preferred offensive coordinator.
Derrik Klassen of The 33rd Team, who evaluated each of the 32 offensive play-callers based on the fundamental ideas of “flexibility, creativity, call sequencing, and the ability to craft specific game plans,” suggests that, should that day ever come, it might be a mistake.
Stefanski is ranked No. 9 on Klassen’s list, which is undoubtedly sad news for the crowd that always complains about Stefanski and his “Denny’s menu” of plays:
Joe Flacco, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, P.J. Walker, and the worst iteration of Deshaun Watson were Kevin Stefanski’s quarterbacks in 2023. It was clear that the offense was ineffective.
It’s difficult to watch the movie without becoming impressed by Stefanski. He designed the offense to suit the needs of each quarterback so precisely.
It was shotgun formations, lots of screens, and play-action for Watson. Thompson-Robinson received a basic, fast game and more RPOs. Walker received more bullets that were vertical. Somehow, Flacco was the best of the group; he had greater volume and a ton of pure dropback throws than the other three.
The strongest aspect of Stefanski’s call sheet—his run game—isn’t even included in that. He knows how to use both zone and gap runs well, and he can modify his plan to fit the situation.
Although the offense of the Cleveland Browns did not perform well in the previous season, Stefanki is an extremely talented coach. Over there, he’s playing his part.
Todd Monken of the Baltimore Ravens, Brian Daboll of the New York Giants, Doug Pederson of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys, Joe Brady of the Buffalo Bills, Nathaniel Hackett of the New York Jets, and—gasp!—Alex Van Pelt of the New England Patriots are among the prominent figures that Stefanski checks in ahead of.
