Kevin Stefanski was named the 18th full-time head coach in Cleveland Browns history on January 13, 2020. He spent the previous 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, where he moved up the coaching ladder from assistant to the head coach to offensive coordinator.
Stefanski joined the Vikings in 2006 as an assistant to the head coach and remained with the organization under three different head coaches. After serving as assistant quarterbacks coach from 2009-13, Stefanski spent two seasons (2014-15) coaching the tight ends and one season (2016) as running backs coach. From 2017-18, he coached the quarterbacks and added the role of interim offensive coordinator for the final three games before being named the team's offensive coordinator in 2019.
In 2019, the Vikings posted a 10-6 record and earned their first road playoff win since January 9, 2005, after defeating the Saints, 26-20, in New Orleans. Three offensive players were selected to the Pro Bowl as RB Dalvin Cook and FB C.J. Ham were each named to their first career Pro Bowl with Cook voted a starter. QB Kirk Cousins was also named to the Pro Bowl.
In his first full year under Stefanski, Cousins set a single-season career high for passer rating with a 107.4 mark, fourth best in the NFL in 2019. Cousins also finished with a career-low six interceptions, while adding 26 touchdowns and a 69.1 completion percentage, fourth in the NFL in 2019. He set a Vikings record for completions in a season with 425 and finished with the second-most passing yards (4,298) and passer rating (107.4) in Vikings history.
With 1,135 rushing yards, Cook became the eighth player in Vikings history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season and the first since Adrian Peterson in 2015. Despite missing the final two games of the season, Cook finished fourth in the NFL with 13 rushing touchdowns and seventh in scrimmage yards with 1,654.
WR Stefon Diggs set a career high with 1,130 receiving yards, giving him back-to-back 1,000-receiving yard seasons for the first time in his career. Diggs finished fourth in the NFL with an average of 17.9 yards per reception in 2019.
Stefanski was elevated from quarterbacks coach to interim offensive coordinator in Week 15 of the 2018 season and promptly guided the unit to two of its best showings of the season. In his first game calling plays, Minnesota scored a season-high 41 points and recorded 418 yards of offense en route to a 41-17 victory over the Dolphins.
As quarterbacks coach in 2017, the Vikings were forced to go to their backup, Case Keenum, early in the season after starter Sam Bradford went down with an injury. Keenum, who had completed 58 percent of his passes previously owned a 9-15 career record as a starter, went on to complete nearly 68 percent of his throws with 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions while leading the Vikings to a record of 11-3.
In his lone season coaching the running backs in 2016, the Vikings battled injuries along the offensive line and to RB Adrian Peterson that caused the runner to miss 13 games. The running game leaned on veterans Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata as the duo combined for 941 yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
As tight ends coach, Stefanski helped develop Pro Bowl TE Kyle Rudolph. In 2015, his unit helped clear the way for Adrian Peterson to lead the NFL in rushing with 1,485 yards.
Stefanski was elevated to assistant quarterbacks coach in 2009, where he had a hands-on role in one of the most successful offense seasons in Vikings history. Veteran QB Brett Favre signed with the team in mid-August and finished the season with 4,202 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. The Vikings finished the season 12-4 and won the NFC North.
Stefanski spent 2006-08 working directly with Head Coach Brad Childress on administrative duties and special projects. Stefanski first worked with Childress during Eagles training camp in 2005 as part of the team's operations department.
Stefanski spent the 2005 season at his alma mater, Pennsylvania, as assistant director of football operations, coordinating all aspects of the Quakers' day-to-day operations.
A team captain as a senior in 2003, Stefanski was part of one of the most successful stretches in the history of the Quaker football program. The team won three Ivy League titles (2000, 2002 and 2003), and went 10-0 in 2003 to become the first undefeated Penn team in a decade. During Stefanski's tenure, the squad posted a 42-7 overall record and a 32-3 mark in Ivy League play and he was twice honored as an Honorable Mention All-Ivy choice in 2002 and 2004.
Stefanski earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Pennsylvania and attended St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia.
The Stefanski family has made a name in athletics as Kevin's father, Ed, was a basketball standout at Penn and works in the front office of the Detroit Pistons. He has previously held executive positions with the NBA's New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors and Memphis Grizzlies.
Stefanski and wife, Michelle, have a daughter and two sons.
Kevin Stefanski's Coaching Background:
2005: University of Pennsylvania, football operations
2006-08: Minnesota Vikings, assistant to the head coach
2009-13: Minnesota Vikings, assistant quarterbacks coach
2014-15: Minnesota Vikings, tight ends coach
2016: Minnesota Vikings, running backs coach
2017-18: Minnesota Vikings, quarterbacks coach/interim offensive coordinator (final three games)
2019: Minnesota Vikings, offensive coordinator
2020-: Cleveland Browns, head coach
