Browns Coach Gives Andre Szymt Final Warning as Kevin Stefanski Addresses Cutting Kicker

The Cleveland Browns are showing surprising patience with kicker Andre Szmyt after his disastrous NFL debut. During Sunday’s 17-16 loss to Cincinnati, Szmyt missed both an extra point and a crucial 36-yard field goal that would have given Cleveland the lead late in the fourth quarter. Despite these game-changing errors, the Browns aren’t panicking yet. The team did not try out any kickers on Tuesday, indicating their temporary commitment to the rookie.

Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone publicly backed his kicker. “He’s done a really good job since he’s been here—from the end of last year on the practice squad, from April, all the way until this point,” Ventrone stated. “So we have a lot of confidence in him. He had a good practice yesterday. I have confidence that he’s gonna get it right.” This vote of confidence comes despite Szmyt’s rough first game. The rookie beat out veteran Dustin Hopkins during the preseason after Hopkins struggled through a career-worst year, connecting on just 66% of his field goals in 2024.

Szmyt’s college credentials suggest he might rebound. He won the Lou Groza Award at Syracuse in 2018 as the nation’s top kicker. He also gained professional experience in the UFL with the St. Louis Battlehawks before joining Cleveland’s practice squad last season. The Browns are gambling that one bad game doesn’t define a kicker. Szmyt now faces immense pressure to validate the team’s faith in him. His next performance could determine whether Cleveland continues their patience or joins the ever-growing list of teams searching for kicking stability.