Insiders expand on job-security reports about Browns' Kevin Stefanski, Andrew Berry

Hours before the Cleveland Browns improved to 3-8 on what's been a frustrating season for the organization via a 24-19 win over the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night, ESPN's Adam Schefter poured cold water over rumors that suggested Cleveland could part ways with head coach Kevin Stefanski if the Browns suffered a humiliating defeat in front of a prime-time audience.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport (h/t Eric Edholm) echoed Schefter's update about the Browns running it back with Stefanski during Thursday's edition of NFL Network's "The Insiders" program. 

"He is the reigning Coach of the Year, and not only that, he also had previously won Coach of the Year. He's a two-time Coach of the Year," Rapoport said about Stefanski. "Kevin Stefanski did not forget how to coach football. He just had an unfortunate performance, including the fact that Deshaun Watson had, you know, certainly the worst year of his career and then got injured and obviously the same last year. This is the same Kevin Stefanski that led a team with Joe Flacco as a starting quarterback to the playoffs."

Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry have received plenty of criticism from fans for their roles in the Browns acquiring Watson in March 2022 and then handing him a fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract at a time when roughly two dozen accusations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions hovered over the signal-caller. The Watson deal has been nothing short of a disaster for the Browns, as he's made just 19 regular-season starts since September 2022 and played poorly this fall, coming off a serious shoulder injury he suffered last season before he went down with a ruptured Achilles on Oct. 20. 

Questions about Stefanski's future grew louder after multiple local media personalities accused Browns players of "quitting" in the fourth quarter of this past Sunday's 35-14 loss at the New Orleans Saints. However, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated and other outlets insisted during the "Thursday Night Football" pregame show that Stefanski and Berry are likely safe.