Since becoming the head coach for the Cleveland Browns in 2020, Kevin Stefanski has had his fair share of ups and downs.
He’s had people praising his name and calling him one of the best coaches in the game, and he’s also had people calling for his head.
While his first season with the Browns in 2020, when he won Coach of the Year, was certainly his best season on record, he may have topped it this last year.
He became the first coach to take a team to the playoffs despite having four different starting quarterbacks, five if you count Jeff Driskel in Week 18.
His biggest success, however, had to be with how he and Joe Flacco finished the season to wrap up a playoff spot.
And, according to Hayden Grove, Flacco is living proof of what a great offensive mind Stefanski actually is (via Hayden Grove on Twitter).
I hate how critical I was of Kevin.
Joe Flacco proved his value as an offensive mind. https://t.co/TbxhWjhSY5
— Hayden Grove (@H_Grove) January 28, 2024
Very few, if any, head coaches and play callers could have done what Stefanski did this year with Flacco.
Sure, the veteran quarterback played his tail off and looked like his former Super Bowl-winning self, but Stefanski was a big reason for that.
In four seasons since leaving the Baltimore Ravens, Flacco has played for several different coaches and OCs and hasn’t seen nearly the same level of success that he did with the Browns.
He seemed to know exactly what to call and when to call it and was able to help Flacco feel instantly comfortable and in sync with the offense.
As such, he’s one of the leading candidates for the Coach of the Year award, and it would be the second of his young career.
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