The ‘Dog Pound’ will not have to worry about the front office and the coach going anywhere in the near future. The Cleveland Browns have locked up their key decision-makers and they will remain in place for years to come, retaining the dynamic duo that has led the organization since the 2020 season.
On Wednesday morning, the team announced it had come to terms on contract extensions with coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry. The pair were both hired ahead of the 2020 season and have guided the Browns to a pair of playoff appearances.
Embed from Getty Images“We are incredibly fortunate to have Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry leading the Cleveland Browns,” owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in the announcement. “Since the day they were hired, each has worked tirelessly to help the Cleveland Browns win. We are proud of what they and the team have achieved, but Kevin and Andrew would be the first to say that Browns fans deserve even more. Their leadership, collaborative approach, and ability to overcome obstacles bode well for the future of this franchise.”
“Last season was a prime example. Despite facing multiple player injuries and using five different starting quarterbacks, Andrew and his staff built a roster that adapted well, while Kevin and his staff led the team to its second playoff appearance in four years, earning Coach of the Year honors for the second time in that period. They are two of the brightest people we know, and selfless people who only care about what is best for the Cleveland Browns. We are thrilled that Kevin and Andrew will remain with the team for the future.”
Under their tutelage, the Browns have posted a record of 37-30 over the last four seasons. Stefanski led the team to its first playoff win in over two decades with their 2020 Wild Card round victory over their division rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Last year, Cleveland squeaked into the postseason despite a shoulder injury to starting quarterback Deshaun Watson as Stefanski got the best out of veteran Joe Flacco.
While the results have been of the up and down variety during his time at the helm, Stefanski is a widely-respected offensive mind who has taken home a pair of Coach of the Year awards. Berry pulled off the controversial blockbuster trade for Watson and signed him to a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million deal. Watson, however, has struggled to live up to the deal since returning from his suspension for allegations of sexual misconduct and it remains to be seen if he can find his way back to the superstar status that has eluded him.
If anything, this era of Browns football should be applauded for its consistency when compared to iterations of the past. As noted by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Stefanski will be the first Browns coach since Bill Belichick in the mid-90s, to patrol the sideline for five straight years once the 2024 season is wrapped up. However, they have not been the contenders many expected, with Watson or Baker Mayfield under center, but consistent competitiveness and relevancy has been rare in Cleveland over the years.
The franchise has found two men in Stefanski and Berry who, if anything, have proven themselves capable of delivering just that. The pair responsible for the best stretch of Browns football in decades will be around for the long term.
