Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski may feel like he has nothing to lose, with the die perhaps already cast on his future with the organization. Or maybe he wanted to show everyone how much he wants to keep his job.
Whatever the case, Stefanski made sure his Browns would go out fighting. In Week 17, they authored an upset victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers that kept their rivals from wrapping up the AFC North.
In fact, radio host Jonathan Peterlin was very pleased that Stefanski had a noticeable behavior change during the game.
“That was the most fired up I’ve ever seen Stefanski on the sideline. I’ve been waiting for that for six years,” Peterlin said.
"That was the most fired up I've ever seen Stefanski on the sideline. I've been waiting for that for six years."
🚨 @JPeterlin to @NickWilsonSays on the #Browns win over the #Steelers pic.twitter.com/rVyZB2lLEL
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) December 29, 2025
Stefanki’s job status has been rumored to be in doubt throughout almost the entire season. So, it’s unlikely that a win against the Steelers, as pleasing as it was, or another in the finale against the Cincinnati Bengals, will be enough to change his fate.
However, as the last home game of the season, and with the ability to spoil the Steelers’ playoff hopes, there was a reason for Stefanski, his players, and the fans to be excited. The fact that the team came through could be a sign that the head coach hadn’t lost the locker room.
Stefanski took a lot of criticism for the way he handled the quarterback position, going all the way back to the four-man competition in training camp. He may have benched Joe Flacco too soon, may have held back Dillon Gabriel too much, and may have waited too long to turn to Shedeur Sanders.
If given another chance next season, perhaps he will have learned from those circumstances and will be a better coach because of it, either with the Browns or for someone else.
NEXT: Kevin Stefanski Speaks Out About His Job Security
