Though they did not win their division this year, the Cleveland Browns could be the most accomplished one-and-done club in playoff history. At the NFL Honors, which took place Thursday night in Las Vegas, members of the Browns were recognized with four significant
In his four years as Cleveland’s coach, Kevin Stefanski, the coach of the Browns, has been named Coach of the Year twice. The winner of the Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year award was defensive end Myles Garrett. Comeback Player of the Year went to Joe Flacco, one of five quarterbacks that the Browns began this season, and Flacco is the defensive coordinator for the team.The Assistant Coach of the Year award went to im Schwartz.
In the AFC North, the 11-6 Browns were surpassed by the 13-4 Baltimore Ravens, but Cleveland’s happy ending was short-lived as the Browns lost to the Houston Texans 45-14 in the wildcard round.
But Cleveland’s victory Thursday night in Las Vegas portends well for the future, beginning with the presence of 41-year-old Stefanski, who appears to be becoming one of the league’s best coaches. In 2020, while Stefanski was still a rookie head coach for the Browns, he was again named Coach of the Year.
The hand Stefanski was dealt in 2023—when the Browns started games with five different quarterbacks due to injuries—has been rarely, if ever, dealt to coaches.Nick Chubb, perhaps the finest running back in the league, missed the most of the season with a season-ending knee injury sustained in Cleveland’s opening game.
An early-season injury to Watson, which set off a succession of quarterbacks who alternated between the huddle and the field for the remainder of the season, severely hampered the offense. BuThe 39-year-old Flacco’s arrival, who had spent the majority of the season sitting at home in New Jersey before the Browns ultimately phoned and signed him on November 20 following a workout, was the largest piece of that puzzle. In the course of saving their season, Flacco became a folk hero in Cleveland.
t Stefanski was able to come up with enough potent offenses and original play calls to keep the Browns competitive for the postseason.