The NFL team closest to changing its coach
With the NFL season drawing to a close, rumours of changes are swirling around various teams.
In the world of elite sport, you either move forward or get left behind...
As the 2025 NFL season crashes towards a dramatic close, one franchise may be on the verge of a significant shift.
The Cleveland Browns, mired in another disappointing campaign, have quietly entered the league’s end-of-season coaching chatter, suggesting that change could be imminent.
Cleveland’s current head coach, Kevin Stefanski, has been at the helm since 2020 and brought some genuine highs, including two seasons with 11 wins and multiple Coach of the Year awards. But on the back of a 4-12 record in 2025 and a kalaidescope of on-field struggles, questions linger about whether his time in Ohio will continue.
divisional duel to close it out pic.twitter.com/QL6zwxgDtD
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 3, 2026
“There are some 50-50s out there” as Browns “certainly on my radar”
Industry insiders have picked up on signs that the Browns’ front office has begun “preliminary research” into possible successors, a phrase that typically precedes a formal search for new leadership. Sources close to NFL circles point out that this work does not guarantee a firing, but it does signal serious contemplation.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said during a podcast appearance that “there are some 50-50s out there: Cleveland, Las Vegas those are two places I see… they’ve done their preliminary research for a potential move. Doesn’t mean they’re locked into doing it or that they’ve decided yet, but those are certainly on my radar.”
At the time of writing, no names have surfaced as possible replacements.
It must be said that the roots of this uncertainty are clear. Cleveland’s offensive inconsistencies have dogged the team for much of the year, and despite moments of hope, the Browns have struggled to put together a complete product on the field. Coaches are made or broken by their ability to adapt under pressure, and many feel the club’s identity has blurred too often this season.
From earlier in week...will see what happens, but this has been the rumbling for a bit. https://t.co/wAD3VKUfd4
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 3, 2026
Stefanski himself has been measured in public comments, stressing his focus on finishing the season strong while avoiding direct discussion of his future: “As you can imagine, my sole focus is on this game against Cincinnati,” Stefanski told reporters. “But I also would tell you I’m privileged to have this job.”
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