The Atlanta Falcons are putting together their new head coaching staff, and it’s looking a lot like the one the Cleveland Browns just had. They have already hired Kevin Stefanski as head coach, and they agreed to bring Tommy Rees on as offensive coordinator. The similarities don’t end there.
On social media, Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Rees will fill a role he had with the Browns: he will be calling plays for the Falcons.
“Stefanski confirmed that his offensive coordinator Tommy Rees will call the plays in Atlanta,” Camino reported on X.
Stefanski confirmed that his offensive coordinator Tommy Rees will call the plays in Atlanta.
— Nick Camino (@NickCaminoWKYC) January 27, 2026
Browns fans remember a few months ago when Stefanski revealed that Rees was granted that job with the Browns. Rees had impressed during his short time with Cleveland and earned the honor of play-calling, a move that was seen as a way to revitalize the team’s subpar offense.
In the end, giving Rees play-calling duties didn’t have the sort of impact the Browns wanted, but they were dealing with much bigger problems, so the Falcons might have more luck.
Rees was initially brought to the Browns as a tight ends coach and pass game specialist in 2024, but he immediately made an impact and was promoted to the lofty role of offensive coordinator just before the start of the 2025 season. It wasn’t until Week 10 that Stefanski gave up play-calling, but now Rees will start the new season with that job in Atlanta.
On paper, this move by the Falcons looks like a smart one because Rees has plenty of insight and experience. Even at just 33, he has been living and breathing football for years and actually got his start as playing quarterback for Notre Dame before becoming part of that team’s coaching staff as a QB coach and OC. He also spent time as offensive coordinator for Alabama.
Of course, Browns fans will note that all of his knowledge doesn’t mean he will help the team. They had high hopes that making him the play-caller would assist them, and they continued to struggle through the rest of the year. But the Falcons are not the same as the Browns.
They may find the success that eluded Cleveland, even with the same people running the show.
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