CLEVELAND, Ohio – Kevin Stefanski, fired by the Browns on Monday, took out a full-page ad in The Plain Dealer on Friday to say farewell to Browns fans:
Letter to the
DAWG POUND
Thank you for your incredible support over the last six seasons. I had a front row seat to the most unmatched passion of Browns fans.
The roars (and barks) from the crowd will always stay with me! Please know that I will always be indebted to this city, this community, and you, the fans of the Cleveland Browns.
Kevin Stefanski
Kevin Stefanski says farewell to Browns fans in a letter to the Dawg Pound.cleveland.com
Stefanski, the two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year and two-time playoff coach here, has had head coach interviews this week with the Giants and Raiders, and will meet with the Titans on Saturday. One of the hottest candidates on the market, he could land a head job this cycle.
Here are some key numbers from his six-year tenure here:
- Stefanski’s 45 wins are the most for any head coach in the expansion era, and tied with Marty Schottenheimer for fourth-most in franchise history. It’s behind only Paul Brown (158 wins), Blanton Collier (76) and Sam Rutigliano (47).
- The 101 games coached are third-most in franchise history, behind only Paul Brown (214) and Blanton Collier (112). It’s the most for an expansion-era coach, well past the 64 games Romeo Crennell coached from 2005-08.
- The two 11-win seasons Stefanski has are the second-most for any Browns coach. Only Paul Brown, with five, has more.
- Stefanski is the only two-time Coach of the Year in franchise history. Forrest Gregg was only other one to win the award.
- Stefanski’s two playoff appearances are tied for fourth-most in franchise history. Only Paul Brown (12), Blanton Collier (5) and Marty Schottenheimer (4) have more.
Stefanski and his family, his wife Michelle and their three school-age children, also gave back to Northeast Ohio through The Keepers Foundation, which focused on serving underprivileged kid in Northeast Ohio.
“This is really our family’s opportunity to do something special,” Stefanski said when they launched the foundation in 2024. “My wife and I have been just floored by this community and have been floored by the support of Northeast Ohio when it comes to any of the numerous charities that are giving back and helping out. Our kids are younger and we’re trying to make sure that they understand that we’ve been blessed and with that, we feel an obligation to help out with some kids that should get similar opportunities, whether it’s through education, or something after school.”
Stefanski and his family truly called Northeast Ohio home for the past six years, and that’s largely because of how they were embraced by Browns fans from the start.
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