The Cleveland Browns announced on X that they have extended the contracts of head coach Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry. The initial press release did not mention the length of the contracts, but details should soon surface.
No one else we’d want leading the way
We’ve extended Coach Stefanski and AB!
📰 » https://t.co/IMH2Y15hDi pic.twitter.com/05KTsRVfjP
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) June 5, 2024
The two took over their respective positions in 2020, and the Browns have enjoyed the most success they have had as an organization since the late 1980s. They have yet to win the AFC North under Berry and Stefanski, but they have made the playoffs twice during that span in 2020 and 2023. Their combined record is 37-30 over that time.
The 2023 season was perhaps their best work, as the Browns managed an 11-6 record despite QB Deshaun Watson only playing in seven total games. They worked their way into the playoffs as the No. 5 seed in the AFC behind the efforts of rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson and veteran QB Joe Flacco. Stefanski won AP NFL Coach of the Year as a result. That was the second time he had won the award since joining the Browns.
Their outlook remains very positive, powered by a great defense featuring the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Myles Garrett. They also added a significant wide receiver via trade this offseason in Jerry Jeudy and then extended his contract. Given some of the recent WR contracts that have been signed, Jeudy was a bargain at $58 million over three years.
With Watson returning from injury, the Browns will be right in the thick of the competition in both the division and the conference.
Team owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam issued a statement with the announcement of the extensions.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry leading the Cleveland Browns,” they said. “Their leadership, collaborative approach, and ability to overcome obstacles bode well for the future of this franchise.”
Their stable leadership should keep the Browns relevant and the AFC North as one of the most competitive divisions in the league for years to come.
