Job security: Is it playoffs or bust for Browns coach Kevin Stefanski?

(Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

One of the ongoing narratives for the Cleveland Browns and their coach Kevin Stefanski has been that the coach is on the hot seat going into this season. Is this true or false? And if it is the truth then what is the bar that the coach needs to pass to keep his job? Is it a Browns playoff appearance?

If that is the case, then that seat might be hotter than most are guessing at this point.

The Browns have had two very disappointing seasons since they made it to the playoffs back in the 2020 season. Stefanski came to Cleveland and scored a touchdown right out of the gate as he guided that team to an 11-5 record. They went on to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Wild Card Game and were close to beating the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Game.

The last two seasons though have resulted in 8-9 and 7-10 records, not exactly the outcomes that either Stefanski or the Browns imagined. The team had many of the same players these last two seasons, but they have some big changes coming as they enter this year’s campaign.

The biggest change will be that Cleveland will go into the season with quarterback Deshaun Watson. When the team went and traded for the quarterback before the 2022 season, they knew that he might not be available to them because of his off-the-field troubles. That turned out to be true and Watson only played in the last six games of the season.

Now, Cleveland goes into the season with Watson, and that alone could spell an extra win or two. Over the last two losing seasons, the Browns lost several close games that if they had gone a bit differently than these sub-.500 records could have been reversed.

However, that didn’t happen and here we stand, questioning how hot is Stefanski’s seat and does he have to get the Browns to the playoffs to maintain his job.

The Cleveland owners, Jimmy and Dee Haslam have been known to make quick decisions at times when things get warm but to their credit, they haven’t pulled the plug on Stefanski’s stay yet and that might be the best way to get the Browns to be a more competitive and consistent winner.

Maybe the Haslams have learned a thing or two about being NFL owners. Initially, their keeping former head coach Hue Jackson on after going 1-31-1 record after the dismal 2016 and 2017 seasons should have been considered a crime.

The team is going into the fourth season with Stefanski and that may be enough to keep him around as coach for the foreseeable future. Obviously, the coach needs to have his team win games and the pressure will be on in Week 1. Cleveland plays all the divisional opponents in the first four weeks of the season. Stefanski’s teams have played better against the AFC North over his first three seasons. They are 5-1 against the Cincinnati Bengals with Stefanski as coach. They haven’t fared as well against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, but it hasn’t been that bad. Including the playoff win in the 2020 season, the Browns are 3-4 against the Steelers. Against the Ravens though they are only 2-4. These trends need to improve for the future if Stefanski is to keep his job.

At this juncture, I don’t believe Stefanski’s job is on the line if the Browns don’t make the playoffs, but it’s a long football season, and if the team doesn’t get off to a decent start and they have internal grumblings amongst players and coaches than it could be more of a challenge for the coach to keep his job.