Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) throws a pass in the first quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Shedeur Sanders responds to Browns firing Kevin Stefanski

Originally posted on Cleveland Browns on SI
By Anthony Miller | Last updated Jan 5, 2026 12:38 PM ET

The city of Cleveland is still trying to comprehend the news that Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has been relieved of his duties after six years in the organization.

This stems from another failure of the season for the Browns, who finished 5-12 and missed the postseason for the second straight season. Reporters asked rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders about the news, and he was still processing it, as they had just told him about it, before speaking to the media.

"We just found out a couple of seconds ago. But I think just overall the mentality like, 'things are going to happen.' That's just how the league is and moving forward, just focus on what we can improve individually for the next head coach."

“We just found out a couple of seconds ago,” - Shedeur Sanders reacts to Kevin Stefanski’s firing pic.twitter.com/VdV4OMOUwF
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) January 5, 2026

Stefanski fired by Browns

During his six-year run, Stefanski went 45-56 overall with two playoff appearances, going 1-2 in the postseason. He walked away with two NFL Coach of the Year awards in 2020 and 2023.

Ultimately, a second straight losing season cost Stefanski his job, despite the issues the team had to endure. The Browns had three different starting quarterbacks, including Sanders, who finished the season as the starter.

In his first NFL season, Sanders finished with completing 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns to 10 interceptions. He also ran for 169 yards and one touchdown in the eight games he's played.

The next Browns head coach will have to deal with a quarterback situation that is a bit messy, thanks to the moves made in the last three years. Deshaun Watson will be on the roster in 2026, which means he will be up to compete for the starting job against Sanders and fellow rookie third-round pick Dillon Gabriel.

There has been speculation that the Browns could sign or trade for another quarterback during the offseason. Multiple names have been brought up as options for the Browns, including Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.

It's going to be a bumpy 2026 season for whoever has to figure out who should start for the Browns, but the good news is that there is plenty of talent on the roster. Cleveland ended up having one of the NFL's strongest draft classes in 2025, with five selections looking like long-term starters, and, of course, the Browns have the all-time single-season sack leader, Myles Garrett.

Regardless of who takes the job, there are pieces in place to build around, but still a lot of work needs to be done for 2026.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Browns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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