Stability for an NFL franchise is something that all claim to seek, but precious few achieve.
The Cleveland Browns took a big step in that direction this week when the team extended the contracts of head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry.
Both joined the franchise in 2020, and owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam released a statement declaring they are “incredibly fortunate” to have the pair leading the Browns.
Stefanski enters his fifth season in Cleveland having been named the AP Coach of the Year twice, including after last season’s 11-6 team reached the playoffs despite losing star running back Nick Chubb in Week 2.
Stefanski told Mary Kay Cabot that his goal remains the goal of every team in the NFL, and in between, you have to “win some ballgames.”
#Browns Kevin Stefanski on what he and GM Andrew Berry, also newly-extended, still want to accomplish: pic.twitter.com/VjF6B5ibft
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) June 5, 2024
That goal, of course, is a Super Bowl championship.
Stefanski and Berry have partnered to reach the playoffs in two of their four seasons together, and their .552 winning percentage is the franchise’s best over a four-year span since the 1980s.
The 2023 playoff run was even more impressive as Cleveland resorted to starting five different quarterbacks throughout the season.
The Browns certainly overcame the odds in improving from 2022’s 7-10 record, and expectations are high for another successful campaign.
In another bright spot for team continuity, Stefanski said this week that Watson is progressing well in his recovery and is on schedule to be ready for the start of the 2024 season.
