Andre Szmyt kicked a 49-yard field goal on the final play of the 2025 season Jan.4 to propel the Browns past the Bengals, 20-18, in Cincinnati. If only Szymt had converted a 36-yard attempt against the Bengals with 2:25 to play in the season opener in a game the Browns lost, 17-16. Szmyt missed a PA T earlier in the game. If only the Browns’ vaunted defense had protected a 17-14 lead and prevented Vikings backup quarterback Carson Wentz from stitching together a 10-play, 80-yard game-winning drive that gave Minnesota a 21-17 lead with 25 seconds to play on Oct. 5 in London. If only the Browns had converted the first of two two-point conversion attempts Dec. 7 in a home game with the Titans. Instead, they failed on two two-point conversions and lost, 31-29. Related Articles Myles Garrett sets sacks record and Andre Szmyt’s field goal on last play gives Browns 20-18 win over Bengals Jeff Schudel’s Week 18 NFL picks against the spread 2025 curtain about to fall on banged-up Browns QB Joe Flacco appreciative of his chance to play for the Bengals Kevin Stefanski should resign; Browns’ decision makers created this mess | Jeff Schudel If those things had happened, the Browns would be 8-9, and Kevin Stefanski’s job would not be in jeopardy. Instead, none of them did, and so the Browns finished 5-12. They finished last in the AFC North for a second straight season. Reporters outside the visitors’ locker room in Paycor Stadium heard a wild celebration of shouting, clapping and cheering during what was probably Stefanski’s last postgame speech after six years coaching the Browns. They were celebrating Myles Garrett recording a fourth-quarter sack of Joe Burrow to set a single-season record of 23 sacks, eclipsing the mark of 22.5 set in 2001 by Michael Strahan, and they were celebrating a successful end to a difficult season. Stefanski was asked about his future in the post-game interview, but, predictably, did not want to talk about it. “Respectfully, this game’s not about me,” Stefanski said. “I’m proud of that group for fighting … Awesome team win. Proud of those guys. Not exactly how you drew it up. But to score twice on defense, for Andre to finish it at the end. You can’t write a better script than that.” At the start of training camp, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam uttered words that have resurfaced often the past few weeks: “Everybody — coaches, players, personnel, ownership, all know that 3-14 won’t cut it. We’ve got to do better. I think we’ll know what better looks like.” Does narrowly losing to the Bills, 23-20, and then beating the Steelers and Bengals to finish the season qualify as better? It should. The Browns’ leading passer in Shedeur Sanders (1,400 yards), leading receiver in tight end Harold Fannin (72 catches, 731 yards, six touchdowns) and leading rusher in Quinshon Judkins (827 yards, seven touchdowns) are all rookies. No other team can make that claim. Stefanski has laid a strong foundation for the next coach if he isn’t retained. The next coach would benefit from the growing pains the 2025 Browns endured. Browns kicker Andre Szmyt celebrates with teammates after kicking a game-winning 49-yard field goal against the Bengals on Jan. 4 in Cincinnati. (David Dermer - The Associated Press) Haslam might take a day or two before deciding Stefanski’s fate. One thing is certain: If the Browns and Stefanski do part ways — which is likely despite the euphoria of beating the Steelers and Bengals back-to-back and Garrett setting the single-season sack record — saying goodbye to Stefanski will not be like firing Freddie Kitchens. Kitchens coached the Browns to a 6-10 record in 2019 and was fired after one season. He never got a sniff of an NFL head coaching job again. That will not be the post-Browns story for Stefanski. Stefanski has already been linked to head coach openings with the Giants and Titans. There might be more vacancies soon. And while Haslam decides what to do about his head coach, general manager Andrew Berry, if he escapes the owner’s axe, must decide whether Sanders has shown enough to be the Browns quarterback of the future. Any potential head coach has a right to have that question answered before accepting the job. The Browns are currently sixth in the draft order, They need a star wide receiver and a stud left tackle even more than they need a quarterback. Deshaun Watson might be the best quarterback the Browns have. Watson is 9-10 as a starter. He has been on Haslam’s payroll since 2022. The new coach would have to deal with that reality. I hope Haslam does give Stefanski another year, but I will stick to my premise that he should resign. Coaching the Browns isn’t worth the hassle. ...read more read less