The Cleveland Browns are staring down another offseason filled with uncertainty - and once again, the head coach is at the center of it all.
Kevin Stefanski’s seat isn’t just warm - it’s practically scorched after a stretch that’s seen the Browns win just six of their last 32 games. That kind of skid doesn’t just test fan patience, it tests organizational faith.
And right now, both are wearing thin. Offensively, the Browns have struggled to find rhythm or consistency.
Special teams haven’t helped matters. And Stefanski’s in-game decision-making has raised more than a few eyebrows.
But here’s the twist: despite all the signs pointing toward a coaching change, there’s still no guarantee Stefanski is out the door on Black Monday. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Browns are still weighing their options with just weeks left in the regular season. That indecision is only adding fuel to the fire for a fanbase desperate for clarity - and change.
Behind the scenes, though, there’s more going on than just Stefanski’s job status. The Browns are reportedly interested in keeping offensive coordinator Tommy Rees on staff.
Rees, who’s starting to draw serious interest from the college ranks, is seen as a rising star. On the other side of the ball, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has already proven his value - he was named AP Assistant Coach of the Year in 2023 and has helped transform Cleveland’s defense into one of the league’s most formidable units.
Here’s where it gets complicated. NFL teams rarely hire a new head coach and then hand him a staff he didn’t choose.
Most new hires want to build their own team from the ground up - coordinators included. So if the Browns are serious about keeping Rees and Schwartz, that might signal they’re at least considering keeping Stefanski, or replacing him with someone already in-house.
And that brings us to Jim Schwartz.
If the Browns do decide to move on from Stefanski, Schwartz could be the bridge between continuity and change. He’s got the résumé, the respect of the locker room, and - most importantly - the backing of the franchise’s most important player: Myles Garrett.
Garrett didn’t mince words when talking about Schwartz last week. The star defensive end credited his coordinator for elevating his game to the brink of NFL history, as Garrett continues to chase the single-season sack record.
“Wins and losses aren’t where we want them, for sure. It’s tough.
I wish we could figure it all out a little bit sooner. But to play for Jim has been an honor and a privilege.
That’s a great coach. He’s been a great man of character and a great leader.
So I just appreciate that I’ve been able to be coached by him. He’s helped elevate my game and take it to the heights we see now.”
That’s not just a player being polite. That’s a franchise cornerstone going out of his way to publicly endorse his coordinator. And in a league where locker room buy-in can make or break a coaching tenure, Garrett’s words carry serious weight.
Schwartz, of course, has been down this road before. His first head coaching stint came in Detroit, where he inherited a Lions team fresh off the NFL’s first 0-16 season.
He managed to turn that franchise around enough to reach the playoffs in 2011 - no small feat given where they started. But like Stefanski now, Schwartz couldn’t sustain the momentum.
After two losing seasons, he was let go in 2013 with a 29-51 record.
Since then, he’s bounced around the league, sharpening his craft. He won a Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2018, holding Tom Brady and the Patriots just enough to secure the win. He’s worked under respected coaches, including Mike Vrabel in Tennessee, and now he’s back in the spotlight in Cleveland - leading one of the most feared defenses in football.
If the Browns want to reset without tearing everything down, Schwartz makes a lot of sense. He’s already in the building.
He knows the personnel. He’s earned the respect of players and peers alike.
And with Garrett in his corner, ownership would have a hard time justifying a clean sweep that risks losing the defensive foundation they've built.
Promoting from within isn’t unheard of. The Patriots just did it with Jerod Mayo, handing him the reins after Bill Belichick’s departure.
The Cowboys made a similar move with Brian Schottenheimer. These aren’t always slam-dunk hires, but they’re moves that signal belief in continuity and culture.
At 59, Schwartz has the experience and the track record to warrant another shot. Whether that happens in Cleveland depends on how ownership views the balance between fan unrest and organizational stability. But one thing’s clear: if Stefanski is out, Schwartz is more than just a fallback option - he might be the best path forward.