Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, has seriously damaged his reputation with his handling of Shedeur Sanders’ rookie campaign and has been accused of “sabotaging” the 23-year-old rookie’s career.
Deion Sanders To Take Over For Kevin Stefanski?
Cleveland Sports Talk reported on X on Monday that Stephen A. Smith suggested that Deion Sanders would be the answer for the Cleveland Browns, allegedly quoting ESPN’s $100M man.
With all of this talk of firing coaches, drafting new quarterbacks after just drafting two new ones, Smith, who has sung Stefanski’s praises as a coach and celebrated the relationship he has with Stefanski’s dad, is fed up with the Browns organization and Stefanski’s handling of the quarterback room in Cleveland and the media circus that the franchise has contributed to as well.
With that said, the name Deion Sanders popped into the conversation. No matter how bad the Colorado Buffs or Deion’s health might be doing, the charismatic coach’s name will always surface when it comes to prime NFL job openings.
“The Browns don’t have a football problem, they have a belief problem. Coach Prime brings belief, swagger and a winning culture that Cleveland hasn’t ever seen,” said Smith
The fact that Shedeur is his son, just adds more intrigue. Sanders coached Shedeur his entire life until this season, and it hasn’t been a smooth transition for the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner.
Fans React To Stephen A. Smith Suggesting Deion Sanders Is The Answer For Cleveland Browns
Earlier this week there was news by an ESPN reporter that the Cleveland Browns (3-12) will be looking to trade Shedeur Sanders and draft a quarterback in April’s 2026 NFL Draft. This doesn’t sit well with those in the football community who have praised Shedeur for his character, leadership and performance since taking over the starting job for a Cleveland Browns franchise seriously lacking talent, direction and a track record of any success in developing talented quarterbacks. Most feel like Stefanski is the blame.
For those who push back against Coach Prime having just one winning season as Colorado head coach since taking over in 2023, one fan said:
“He’s been in Colorado 3 years, Kevin has had 6.”
“All the free agents will come here if prime was the coach,” said a fan who would love to see Coach Prime in Cleveland.
“In fairness he did have a winning record at Jackson State and I’m sure it wasn’t just because his players were being paid while his opponents weren’t,” added another fan.
There was also plenty of pushback from those who feel The Coach Prime Effect Is Overrated
“I think (owner) Jimmy Haslam would do it, look at who owns us and the circus he’s turned us into. But you can’t hire a head coach who will be blindly and biasedly committed to a 5th rd qb. It’s not college where you graduate in a couple years. Shit show written all over it,” said another Browns fan who hates Stephen A. Smith’s the idea of bringing Deion in.
“Didn’t Kevin win coach of the year twice in the last 5 years? Maybe 4 years? And you want to replace him with a coach that can’t win in college? So much for fixing the browns…,” another fan lamented.
Will Kevin Stefanski Remain Cleveland Browns Head Coach?
Stefanski might have been the answer, but now his future with the franchise is reportedly a huge question mark. Cleveland has been at the center of the news cycle Earlier this month On ‘Monday Morning Quarterback’, reporter Albert Breer suggested that Stefanski isn’t too happy with the way he’s been misrepresented as “sabotaging” Shedeur or not liking him, and ultimately that would be what forces him to ask out in Cleveland.
Looking at the current chain of events from Stefanski’s perspective, Breer says “one thing that would be really frustrating for me if I were the coach in Cleveland is you try to make decisions for football reasons and nobody will accept them.”
Breer says the information he has gotten from people who work for Cleveland is that the past 8 months, the quarterback situation was handled “in a way that was totally based on football decisions.” Despite how the media and others have portrayed it. Breer argues that the mounting frustration of having his decisions second guessed at an increasing rate, is wearing on the Browns coach.
“Well wouldn’t you be sick of it,” Breer said, before adding that Stefanski might agree at this point that a mutual parting of ways is the answer.
Deion Sanders Name Mentioned For NFL Jobs In The Past
Coach Prime’s name has been mentioned in the past for the Dallas Cowboys, Raiders NFL jobs and numerous college jobs. Despite losing Shedeur, Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter (Jaguars) and son, Shilo, who was the defensive leader, while battling gallbladder cancer and other ailments, Prime stayed dedicated to Colorado throughout the 3-9 season.
His record may be a bit blemished but his reputation as a leader, recruiter and football mind remains. Maybe he’s ready for another challenge. The haters would vomit, but Coach Prime and Shedeur have always been a winning combination everywhere they have gone.
