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.
During his first two seasons, Stefanski has led the Browns to 20 total wins, trailing only Hall of Famer Paul Brown (23 in 1950-51) and Blanton Collier (21 in 1963-64) for the most NFL wins by a Browns coach in his first two seasons. During the Browns 75-year history, the team has surpassed 6,000 scrimmage yards in a single season just five times, including both years under Stefanski.
In his first season with the Browns, Stefanski led the team to its first playoff appearance since 2002 and first playoff victory in 26 years. He notched the most wins (11) by a first-year Browns head coach since Paul Brown had 12 in the team's inaugural season in 1946. Stefanski's 11 regular season wins were the most by a first-year head coach in 2020 and marked just the 11th time since 1970 a first-year coach has won 11 or more games. Stefanski was named the NFL Coach of the Year and joined Forrest Gregg (1976) as the second coach in franchise history to earn the honor.
Stefanski's first season was unlike any other in NFL history as he and the club had to navigate the new realities and protocols presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. During his first offseason program, he and the staff had to install a new offensive and defensive system entirely virtual. Stefanski and his coaching staff didn't meet most of the players in-person until training camp, which was completely revamped to adhere to the league's protocols. During the second half of the season, the Browns dealt with numerous stops and starts to their schedule, including complete closures of the team facility, because of positive COVID-19 tests.
Despite the new norms, Stefanski, who serves as the team's play-caller, helped the Browns offense to some of its best numbers in generations. Cleveland's 408 points were its second-most in franchise history, while the club also finished with its second-best total in scrimmage touchdowns (48) and tied for the second-most first downs (355). The Browns finished third in the league in rushing with an average of 148.4 yards per game (the team's best since 1978).
Stefanski helped several Browns earn individual honors as DE Myles Garrett and RT Jack Conklin were named first-team All-Pros by the Associated Press, while G Joel Bitonio and G Wyatt Teller each earned second team honors. Garrett, Bitonio and RB Nick Chubb were selected to the Pro Bowl.
He didn't just bring the team together on the field, he also brought them together in the community. As protests for social justice erupted all across the country during the summer of 2020, Stefanski carved out meeting time to allow the players time to discuss how they felt in the moment. They were also given time off during the funeral of George Floyd, whose controversial death spurred the movement. Stefanski then empowered them to "get in the arena" and use their platform to make a difference however they saw fit.
In 2021, the Browns led the NFL in rushing average with a 5.09 mark, which helped Chubb finish second in the league in rushing yards. The club's rush average was the highest by a Browns team since 1966. The team's 6,090 scrimmage yards were the fourth-most by the club in a single-season.
Defensively, the Browns finished the season fifth in the NFL in total defense, marking just the third time since 1970 that the team has ranked in the top-five and the club's highest finish since 1987. Garrett set the single-season franchise record with 16 sacks.
Stefanski helped five Browns earn Pro Bowl honors, the most by the team since 2013. Bitonio, Chubb, Garrett, Teller and CB Denzel Ward all earned Pro Bowl honors. Bitonio and Garrett also earned first team All-Pro honors, while Teller was named to the second team.
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 offensive seasons in Vikings history. Veteran QB Brett Favre signed with the team in mid-August and closed 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.
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)
