Browns' Coach Kevin Stefanski And GM Andrew Berry Rewarded For Being Good

No, the Cleveland Browns haven't won a Super Bowl since January of 2020 when Kevin Stefanski became the head coach and Andrew Berry was hired as the general manager. But that's not how they both earned contract extensions.

The Browns on Wednesday extended the contracts of both men because, well, they haven't stunk.

They've even been good at times.

And because the Browns had so often stunk and so rarely been good since owner Jimmy Haslem bought the team in 2012, this good work deserved a reward.

Thus, the twin extensions.

Kevin Stefanski says he grew up playing "Madden." (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Haslems ‘Proud’ Of Coach And GM

"We are incredibly fortunate to have Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry leading the Cleveland Browns," Browns Managing and Principal Partners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. "Since the day they were hired, each has worked tirelessly to help the Cleveland Browns win. 

"We are proud of what they and the team have achieved, but Kevin and Andrew would be the first to say that Browns fans deserve even more. Their leadership, collaborative approach, and ability to overcome obstacles bode well for the future of this franchise."

The Browns have a record of 37-30 (.552) – the highest winning percentage for the team over a four-year stretch since 1986-89 – since Brown and Berry joined the organization in 2020.

No, not awesome. But for the Browns that is a level of success not seen in some time. In their first season at the helm in 2020, the pair helped the team to its first playoff appearance since 2002 and first playoff victory in 26 years.

CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 24: Executive vice president/football operations & general manager Andrew Berry of the Cleveland Browns looks on prior to a game against the Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns Stadium on September 24, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

Browns Above .500 And In Playoffs

The Browns also finished the 2023 season with an 11-6 record and another trip to the postseason. 

The 11-win regular season tied for second-most in team history, trailing only the 1986 team, which had 12 wins. 

Following the 2023 season, Stefanski joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Paul Brown as the only coaches in team history to record multiple seasons with at least 11 regular season wins.

This is all in obvious contrast to the previous decade or so of Browns history before Berry and Stefanski arrived.

After the Haslems purchased the team in 2012, it went through five consecutive coaches with losing records. These included Hue Jackson (3-36-1), Mike Pettine (10-22) and Rob Chudzinski (4-12) for one year in 2013.

So, by comparison, the Stefanski and Berry tenure looks like a dynasty.

Maybe that's stretching it, but you get it. These latest guys are good and that compares favorably to awful.  

"Last season was a prime example," Dee and Jimmy Haslam continued. "Despite facing multiple player injuries and using five different starting quarterbacks, Andrew and his staff built a roster that adapted well, while Kevin and his staff led the team to its second playoff appearance in four years, earning Coach of the Year honors for the second time in that period. 

"They are two of the brightest people we know, and selfless people who only care about what is best for the Cleveland Browns. We are thrilled that Kevin and Andrew will remain with the team for the future."