Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski keeps insisting his focus is on the present, not on quarterback depth charts or job security timelines. Asked whether Deshaun Watson might see the field in 2025 after his practice window was opened, Stefanski brushed it aside, saying the priority right now is simply getting Watson back into a helmet and throwing again.
He praised Watson’s rehab work and support for the team, but made it clear his attention is on preparing Shedeur Sanders and trying to grind wins out of a rough season, not on stoking another QB controversy.
Behind the scenes, though, Stefanski’s future is a constant talking point around the league. ESPN reported that his name “comes up often” in conversations because of the Browns’ 6-23 record over the past two years, but also because many executives believe he would immediately be one of the top head-coaching candidates on the market if Cleveland moves on.
One AFC executive called him “a good coach, experienced, two-time Coach of the Year,” and pointed out that Cleveland is simply a very hard place to win, hinting that a fresh start might actually benefit him as much as it would the franchise. With this year’s candidate pool viewed as weaker than usual, Stefanski’s resume becomes an even bigger asset.
That broader perception matters as he navigates everything from QB questions to sideline flare-ups. After Shedeur Sanders and Jerry Jeudy were caught in a heated exchange during the loss to the 49ers, Stefanski downplayed the moment, backing both players and confirming Sanders would start again in Week 14. It was the same calm, low-drama approach: protect the locker room publicly, correct things privately, and keep moving.
So yes, Stefanski is on the hot seat in Cleveland. But he is not coaching like a man with no options. If the Browns decide to reset, he is widely expected to have immediate interest elsewhere, or the leverage to take a Vrabel-style year off and pick his spot.
Either way, his next few games are an audition tape for the Browns’ decision-makers and for the rest of the league watching what he does in a brutal situation.
