Hanford Dixon Reveals His Grade For Kevin Stefanski With Browns

Hanford Dixon is not sugarcoating anything when it comes to Kevin Stefanski’s time in charge of the Cleveland Browns.

Appearing on The Top Dawgs Show this week, the Browns legend gave Stefanski a blunt grade for his six seasons as head coach.

“I gave him a ‘C’ just because of his record. He wasn’t able to get it done,” Dixon said.

Kevin Stefanski finished 45-56 as Browns head coach.

"That's simply not a passing grade." #DawgPound

– @HanfordDixon29

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— The Top Dawgs Show (@TopDawgShow) January 13, 2026

Stefanski finished his Browns tenure at 45–56, a mark that clearly tells the story.

Stefanski arrived in 2020 with real momentum. He won Coach of the Year in his first season. The Browns made the playoffs. They won in Pittsburgh. For a moment, it felt like the franchise had finally turned a corner.

But that moment never became a foundation.

Instead, the years that followed were defined by quarterback chaos, injuries, front office gambles, and a team that never fully found its identity. There were flashes of competence. There were occasional strong stretches. But there was never sustained progress.

Dixon’s grade reflects what many fans have quietly felt for a while. Not terrible. Not great. Just… underwhelming.

A “C” does not mean Stefanski failed at everything. He brought structure. He modernized the offense at times. He helped steady the organization after years of dysfunction.

But Browns fans were not asking for steady. They were asking for a consistent winner.  They were asking for relevance. They were asking for a team that could compete in January instead of watching from the couch.

That never truly materialized.

Stefanski had six seasons. Multiple quarterbacks. A front office that spent aggressively. A roster that, on paper, often looked good enough to contend.

And yet, the results stayed stuck in neutral.

Dixon summed it up simply. Records matter. Results matter. And in the NFL, excuses eventually expire.

Now, the Browns are turning the page again, searching for another head coach, another reset, another hope that this time will be different.

Whether it is fair or not, Stefanski will always be remembered as the coach who showed early promise but never quite delivered on it.

A “C” is not an insult.

It is a reminder of what could have been. And what never was.