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As noted on Saturday, the signs in Cleveland were pointing to the team moving on from coach Kevin Stefanski, after six seasons and two coach of the year awards. The indications are now becoming stronger and stronger that Stefanski will be out.
Depending on how the postseason goes, Stefanski could land on his feet with one of the teams the Browns upset this year.
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Back in Week 3, the Browns stunned the Packers, 13-10. And while the Packers have still made the playoffs, they're the No. 7 seed for the third straight year. Without expansion of the postseason field in 2020, the Packers would be on a four-year streak of no playoff appearances.
That could make the wild-card round critical for coach Matt LaFleur and G.M. Brian Gutekunst. New team president Ed Policy, who grew up a Browns fan, made it clear in June 2024 that neither LaFleur nor Gutekunst would get contract extensions before the end of the 2025 season. And with both signed through 2026, Policy added that he's not a fan of lame-duck arrangements.
Which means it'll likely be new contracts or pink slips for the Packers coach and G.M. once the 2025 campaign ends
Making it to the playoffs usually is good enough, seven seed or not. In 2023, they advanced to the divisional round. Last year, they were one-and-done, with a 22-10 loss at the Eagles. What would another early exit trigger?
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The situation will hit a full boil next weekend, when the Packers go to either Chicago or Philadelphia. A loss could prompt Policy to explore his options. And Stefanski, who spent all of his career in the NFC North with the Vikings before getting the Cleveland job in 2020, could end up being the guy when the dust settles on what could be the first Green Bay coaching search since 2019.
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