Browns Fire Kevin Stefanski — Is Jim Schwartz the Answer?

Browns Fire Kevin Stefanski — Is Jim Schwartz the Answer?

BEREA, Ohio — The inevitable finally arrived Monday. The Cleveland Browns dismissed head coach Kevin Stefanski, ending a six-year tenure defined by extremes: two 11-win seasons, two playoff appearances with a 1–2 postseason record, two NFL Coach of the Year awards (2020, 2023), and an offense that cratered to near-historic lows in 2025.

Owner Jimmy Haslam and general manager Andrew Berry said the organization will conduct an “extensive” head coaching search. They stopped short of committing to interviews with internal candidates, including defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.

Yet as the dust settles, the most logical — and arguably safest — answer may already be in the building.

A Tale of Two Units

The 2025 Browns were football’s most glaring contradiction. Offensively, Cleveland ranked last (32nd) in yards per play and yards per pass attempt, hovered near the bottom of the league in passing yards per game, and finished dead last in scoring at 15.2 points per game. No modern contender survives that profile.

Defensively, the Browns were elite.

Cleveland finished top five in total yards allowed, held opponents under 300 yards per game on average, ranked No. 1 in PFF grades across the defensive line, and finished fifth in defensive DVOA. Through Week 18, only three teams allowed fewer yards per game. The defense wasn’t just good — it was championship caliber.

That unit belongs to Schwartz.

“They Don’t Pay Us for the Easy Stuff”

Schwartz doesn’t sell optimism. He sells accountability.

“They don’t pay us for the easy (expletive),” Schwartz told Cleveland.com in an interview with Ashley Bastock. “I tell our coaches that all the time: They don’t pay us for the good times.”

That quote explains why Cleveland’s defense never wavered despite injuries, constant offensive strain, and a losing record. According to Bastock’s reporting, Schwartz maintained unchanged standards and zero tolerance for excuses. The result: Cleveland ranked No. 2 in total yards allowed this season and, since Schwartz arrived, remains the only NFL defense averaging fewer than 300 opponent yards per game.

That consistency matters when evaluating head coaching candidates — especially for a roster already built around defensive dominance.

Myles Garrett and the Schwartz Effect

Any Browns coaching discussion begins with Myles Garrett, who authored one of the most dominant defensive seasons in NFL history in 2025.

Garrett finished the year with a record-setting 23 sacks, breaking the NFL single-season mark of 22.5 in the final game of the season. He also led the league with 33 tackles for loss, recorded 60 total tackles (43 solo), and forced three fumbles. The historic campaign earned him the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.

Schwartz’s philosophy is central to that production.

“You’re affecting the game if you get a TFL for minus-5 or a sack for minus-5,” Schwartz told Bastock. “It’s the same thing. It affects the game the same way. But one gets glorified a lot more.”

Garrett echoed that sentiment. “To play for Jim has been an honor and a privilege,” he said. “He’s a great coach… and it has helped elevate my game and take it to the heights we see now.”

Franchises rarely find generational defenders — and they rarely benefit from removing the coach who maximized them.

Defense Defined Every Browns Win

The Browns finished 5–12, but every victory followed the same script: defense first.

Cleveland closed the season with back-to-back wins over division rivals, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals. Against Pittsburgh, the Browns held the Steelers to six points in a must-win game. One week later versus Cincinnati, the defense scored both touchdowns — an interception return and a fumble recovery — while the offense again struggled.

The pattern repeated in wins over the Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders, and Green Bay Packers. In all five victories, Schwartz’s defense dictated the outcome with pressure, discipline, and timely takeaways.

If the Browns had an identity in 2025, it wasn’t offense or quarterback play. It was defense.

The Market Reality