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Kevin Stefanski is taking a calculated risk with the Cleveland Browns coming out of the bye week that could go either way

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Brandon Little | Last updated Nov 4, 2025 9:51 AM ET

The Week 9 bye week for the Cleveland Browns has come and gone, giving them a chance to get healthy and implement any changes they wanted to make. Through the first eight games, the Browns pretty much know what they are. Cleveland is a 2-6 football team with a bad offense and a good defense.

Cleveland is getting WR Cedric Tillman back coming out of the bye week, but that won’t be the biggest focus. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has made a significant change on offense that could go either way.

Browns to have OC Tommy Rees calling plays the rest of the season

Stefanski announced on Monday that he would be turning over offensive play-calling duties to Rees. Rees is in his first year as offensive coordinator for the Browns after serving as the team’s tight ends coach last season. Before joining Cleveland, Rees was an offensive coordinator at both Alabama and Notre Dame in the college ranks.

Browns OC Tommy Rees will call plays for Dillon Gabriel Week 10 against the Jets, per Kevin Stefanski.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) November 3, 2025

“I have a ton of trust and faith in Tommy,” Stefanski said on Monday. “He’s more than capable, so I’m excited for him. But bottom line is we just have to get better collectively.

“I just felt like Tommy is somebody that I believed in,” Stefanski added. “I hired him here a couple of years back because I really believe in Tommy as a coach, and he’s done everything we’ve asked. I just feel like this is the right time.”

The Browns are averaging just 15.8 points per game, which ranks 30th in the NFL. Their 279.1 yards per game ranks 31st, and you’re just not going to win many games that way. Cleveland has been slightly better on the ground, ranking 28th with 89.5 rushing yards per game. Joe Flacco started the first four games under center, and since then it’s been Dillon Gabriel. Stefanski giving up play-calling is a major effort to try to spark the offense, and it will allow him to focus elsewhere on game day. As a result, it would be a bad look for the Browns if they can’t cut down on penalties and improve their discipline with Stefanski having a broader focus throughout the team.

After going 3-14 last season, the Browns are doing a lot of losing again this year, and that’s when seats start to get hot. Stefanski’s seat is undoubtedly warm, even as a two-time Coach of the Year with the Browns. When you’re an offensive-minded coach and the offense is this bad, it’s not a good look—and change could be coming. Stefanski wouldn’t be making this big switch if his job were safe and everything was fine. It’s a bold move that could go either way for the Browns.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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