After Browns Fire Kitchens, Kevin Stefanski Given Best Odds to Become Next Head Coach

• The Cleveland Browns fired head coach Freddie Kitchens on Sunday after just one year with the team
• Drafted first overall in 2018, QB Baker Mayfield will already be playing for his fourth different head coach
• Minnesota’s Kevin Stefanski, New England’s Josh McDaniels are favored to be the next Browns boss

The Cleveland Browns wasted no time in firing head coach Freddie Kitchens after their Week 17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals (33-23). The first-year coach was relieved of his duties before we even hit Sunday Night Football.

Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski and New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels are favored to be the next hire. Is either a good bet at relatively short odds?

Cleveland Browns 2020 Head Coach Odds

Odds taken Dec. 30th.

Following Disastrous Finish, Kitchens Canned

Early on, a lot of people figured Kitchens would eventually be retained for at least one more season in Cleveland. The Browns had a rough start, losing six of their first eight games, but a lot of experts pointed to a challenging schedule as being part of the reason. The Browns were supposed to have an easy schedule down the stretch where they could rebound.

While the odds for Kitchens to stay actually got better, the reality on the field made it difficult for the Browns to keep him. He was as short as a coin flip on Christmas Eve but the team ended the year on a three-game losing streak, including a double-digit loss to the one-win Bengals in Week 17. That sealed his fate.

The Browns need a new Head Coach. Sometimes you’ve gotta go back… pic.twitter.com/M5xyiGCLXf

— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) December 30, 2019

There were a lot of other issues during Kitchens’ tenure that showed he was in over his head. From the fourth-and-eight draw play-call to wearing the “Steelers Started It” hoodie to publicly arguing with Odell Beckham Jr. on the sidelines, the Browns looked like a mess. They needed to go in another direction.

Stefanski Favored To Be Next Browns Coach

It’s hard to believe that Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski is one of the hot commodities in coaching conversations. One year ago, the Vikings offense was a disaster and Stefanski was deemed to be a big part of that. The addition of Gary Kubiak in 2019 is what mostly brought success, but it seems like Stefanski is getting credit.

Stefanski trying to rationalize his play calling pic.twitter.com/uUPQhnPMx7

— haley (@haley_darling) December 24, 2019

Stefanski is a good-looking guy with a sharp mind and he’s previously been interviewed by the Browns for the head-coach gig. He was among the finalists before general manager John Dorsey pushed for Freddie Kitchens. It’s unclear why they’re so interested in Stefanski.

Would McDaniels Leave The Patriots?

Of course, one of the most bandied-about names in the rumor mill is McDaniels, who is viewed as one of the bright offensive minds in the game. He’s frequently squeezing the most out of what he’s got as the Patriots don’t invest a ton of resources into the offense.

He’s long been viewed as Bill Belichick’s successor but with reports suggesting that Tom Brady might be out in New England and that Belichick plans to coach for a while, McDaniels may decide to take advantage of one of these head coaching opportunities.

This time around, the #Browns have interest in and are expected to ask to interview former #Packers coach Mike McCarthy, source said. They did not make it happen last time.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 30, 2019

The issue here is that McDaniels has his pick of the litter right now and the Browns organization is a mess. Baker Mayfield was drafted first overall in the 2018 NFL Draft and, while we’re not even at the end of 2019, the Browns next hire will be his fourth head coach. This franchise isn’t exactly the model of stability.

The Browns do have some nice pieces on offense but McDaniels would probably rather coach a contender like Dallas if he does decide to go. I wouldn’t expect him to leave for the dysfunctional Browns.

What’s The Best Bet?

Stefanski is exactly the non-descript, questionable hire that the Browns usually make. They had Pat Shurmur and then Hue Jackson and then Kitchens, so this fits the offensive mind/unproven head coach type of mindset they look for. However, at +275, I don’t see much value there.

#Browns request interview with #49ers DC Robert Saleh, who helped beat the Browns 31-3 on Oct. 7 and runs the #NFL's No. 2 defense https://t.co/TMiYHvr43P

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) December 30, 2019

The Browns have requested interviews with Baltimore’s Greg Roman and San Francisco’s Robert Saleh. Former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is also supposedly in the running. My bet would be on the latter as McCarthy at least has a track record of success versus the other unproven candidates.

The Browns are a mess right now and hiring another inexperienced coordinator is not the ideal direction. A voice who can instill some discipline and install a winning infrastructure is what they need. I’d bet on McCarthy or Ron Rivera – who is not even on the board – but the Browns rarely do what makes sense.