After eight wins across two seasons, the Cleveland Browns pulled the plug on Kevin Stefanski on January 5th, but that did not shock anybody. Still, the move landed heavily on the Dawg Pound. Now, with the sideline empty, Shedeur Sanders and a few Browns leaders have made one thing clear. The next head coach has to feel different.

Sanders kept his stance simple when asked about what comes next. Speaking to the media, the quarterback did not lobby for power or direction. Instead, he pushed the call to the front office.

“I just focus on me and what I can do. When it comes to those grown-up decisions, that’s not me,” he said.

Meanwhile, the message from the defense carried more edge. Just like Sanders, Denzel Ward, and Grant Delpit shared their expectations, but theirs came with heat.

Ward made it blunt, saying, “We need assertiveness. Just holding people accountable.”

Right after, Delpit widened the lens. “A good leader. Someone fiery who will help guys get to that mentality of playing ball. It’s more than Xs and Os,” he said.

Back in 2020, Stefanski arrived and changed the Browns’ mood overnight. He took them to the playoffs in his first season, snapping an 18-year drought that haunted the Dawg Pound. Then, in 2023, he did it again. Two postseason trips, two AP NFL Coach of the Year awards, and for a moment, belief felt real.

However, belief faded fast, as the following season turned ugly, with just three wins, the worst showing since 2017. Stefanski was given time to steady the ship, yet the rebound never came. And the quarterback carousel did him no favors.

Kevin Stefanski has been the head coach for the Browns for six seasons and has a 45-55 record. Under him, the Browns have made it to the playoffs in two seasons. He holds a playoff record of 1-2.

The Browns bet big on Deshaun Watson, who managed only 19 games in four seasons, with 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and constant injuries. After that came Dillon Gabriel, and now it is rookie Shedeur Sanders. Too much instability, not enough answers, and a head coach paid the price.

What does Kevin Stefanski’s firing mean for Shedeur Sanders?

The Browns never lacked bodies in the quarterback room, as they opened the season with four of them. Right now, Cleveland lines up with Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Deshaun Watson. On paper, it looks crowded; still, the real question lingers. Does any of it truly move the needle at Cleveland Browns Stadium?

Then again, the front office already showed its hand. The Browns moved off the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, choosing not to chase a headline quarterback. Many expected a splash, but instead, they were patient with picking Gabriel in the third round, and Sanders followed in the fifth.

This matched Andrew Berry’s mindset about the position. While speaking to Yahoo Sports last June from minicamp, he laid it out clearly.

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“I wouldn’t necessarily say draft a quarterback every year; I don’t believe it being that,” Berry said. “But if you’re in a position to make a bet on a quarterback that you think can be a quality starter or some level of high-level proficiency, understand that it’s not always going to pan out. That’s a bet you should be making because you just never know.”

So, that philosophy points to change again this spring. Cleveland does not sound married to standing still. The debate feels more about how they add than if they do.

Sanders won three of his seven starts, while Gabriel managed one win in six. Sanders averaged 193 yards per start, ahead of Gabriel’s 153, and completed passes at a similar rate. However, his 0.8 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 72.9 rating lagged. Gabriel’s efficiency stood taller.

So, Sanders earned more runway this season. Still, the Browns are not promising him next fall.