Kevin Stefanski will always be able to get a job as a political candidate’s campaign manager if he ever decides to step away from coaching, or if his boss makes that decision for him. Just as he did a year ago, Stefanski in the final week of the regular season is stumping for Browns defensive end Myles Garrett to be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. A panel of 50 sports writers from around the country cast their votes the day after the regular season ends. Playoff results have no bearing on voting. Related Articles Cleveland Browns | Browns can earn first pick in draft with loss to Ravens and some help Cleveland Browns | Bailey Zappe to start Browns’ season finale, fourth QB this season and team’s 40th since 1999 Cleveland Browns | Haslam Sports Group moves ahead with domed stadium plans despite pressure from Cleveland officials Cleveland Browns | Browns’ Jeudy, Garrett selected as Pro Bowl starters Cleveland Browns | Retiring Browns safety Rodney McLeod preparing for post-football life “If he won the award last year playing it the way he played last year, I don’t see how he’s not the best defensive player in the game this year,” the Browns head coach said on Jan. 2. “Whatever metric you want to measure that by, if you want to go with the eye test, I think everybody would agree. “I think if you want to go with the advanced metrics and look at the pressure numbers and the times that he’s getting double-teamed and slides are going his way, that’s the piece to me that I think is so impressive and remarkable is he’s doing all this with getting all of the attention from the other team. “It’s like a degree of difficulty that he’s able to lead the league in sacks and tackles for loss with all that attention. It should be impossible. So, that just speaks to the caliber he’s playing at. I don’t have a vote in it, but I don’t see how he’s not the best defensive player in the National Football League again.” Garrett is tied for the league lead with 14 sacks heading into the final weekend of the regular season. His 21 tackles for loss are the most in the NFL. Being named Defensive Player of the Year was a goal Garrett set when the Browns made him the first pick of the 2017 draft, yet he didn’t receive the honor until last year. The Browns locked up a wild-card playoff spot in 2023 with one game to play. Stefanski rested his starters for the season finale in Cincinnati so they would be fresh for the playoffs (a bad decision, in retrospect). Stefanski on the Wednesday before facing the Bengals was asked if resting Garrett might hurt Garrett’s chances for postseason awards. “I don’t know that Myles needs to do anything more on a football field to convince anyone how important he’s been to our football team,” Stefanski said on Jan. 3, 2024. “I said it before. I’ll say it again. I mean he’s the best player on the best defense in the National Football League. That counts for something.” Stefanski’s speech might have pushed Garrett to the top of the voting last year. If so, Garrett is going to need that push again, because as of now cornerback Patrick Surtain of the Denver Broncos is the betting favorite to be named DPOY at minus-227, according to sportsbookreview.com, meaning a bettor would have to wager $227 to win $100. Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt is second at plus-190. Garrett is fourth at plus-3000, meaning a $100 bet on Garrett would net a $3,000 profit if he wins. Garrett was not modest when asked if he is playing better now than a year ago, “Yes, to say it bluntly,’ he said. “But I feel like I faced much more difficult odds this year, and offenses have done quite a lot to try to take me out of the game and made it blatantly obvious. But I feel like the guys around me have really helped me thrive as much as I have at this point.” Garrett had a very short response when asked if he thinks he is the best defensive player in the NFL. “Yes.” “Why?” he was asked. “Why?’ he answered. “Go check the tape. That’s why.” • It was well documented that Bailey Zappe would become the 40th player to start at quarterback for the Browns since 1999 when he took his first snap from center Ethan Pocic on Jan. 4 in the game with the Ravens. Unless he is re-signed for 2025 and makes at least one more career start with Cleveland, he will become the eighth Browns quarterback to start only one game. Spergon Wynn (2000), Bruce Gradkowski (2008), Thad Lewis (2012), Connor Shaw (2014), Kevin Hogan (2017), Nick Mullens (2021) and Jeff Driskel (2023) each made one start.  The Browns lost all seven games. I didn’t know that …until I read my Snapple bottle cap. Human thigh bones are stronger than concrete. … Two of Snapple’s founders were window washers in Brooklyn, … A caterpillar has 4,000 muscles. A human has 639 muscles, … The first hot air balloon passengers were a duck, a sheep and a rooster. The event occurred on Sept. 19, 1783, in France. The balloon stayed in the air 15 minutes before crashing, … The average raindrop takes two minutes to hit the ground, … The entire state of Hawaii has one school district.