It’s no secret that the relationship between Kevin Stefanski, former head coach of the Cleveland Browns, and quarterback Shedeur Sanders was not the best. Perhaps toward the end of the season they understood each other a bit better, especially since Shedeur became the starter in Week 11 of the NFL season and never gave up that opportunity.
The issue was that Shedeur Sanders was never truly considered until Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion in Week 10 against the Baltimore Ravens. Before that, he never received reps with the Browns’ first team and went from being the team’s fourth option to gradually climbing the depth chart, eventually showing flashes of his talent as the starter.
In the end, the two could not remain with the same team, and Kevin Stefanski was fired at the end of the season after leading the franchise since 2020, during which he guided them to the playoffs twice. He was quickly hired as the new head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Only time will tell whether the Browns made another mistake or got this decision right.
David Njoku could head to the Falcons
One of the most important players on offense, David Njoku, announced he is leaving the Cleveland Browns. The tight end confirmed he will not return after nine seasons in Cleveland and will seek a new team in the upcoming free agency, especially since opportunities may be limited following the emergence of Harold Fannin Jr., who had an outstanding rookie season.
Njoku’s future could be with the Atlanta Falcons, where he would reunite with Kevin Stefanski, who knows him very well. Jared Dubin of CBS Sports reported:
“The Falcons could lose Pitts this offseason after he spent five years in Atlanta, and they’ll need to replace him if he does leave. New Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski is very familiar with Njoku from their time together in Cleveland. The Falcons don’t have a player like Harold Fannin Jr. ready to take over as a high-level option like Cleveland did this past year, so Njoku could make a lot of sense for them,” the journalist stated.
And it makes sense. Njoku, who had brilliant moments with the Browns, recorded 33 receptions for 293 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. Meanwhile, rookie Fannin Jr. totaled nearly 800 receiving yards with six touchdowns, plus one rushing score. As a result, the starting role now appears to belong to the second-year tight end.
There is still plenty to fix in the Browns’ offense, especially at the quarterback position, which will be Todd Monken’s main task: determining whether the starter will be Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, or perhaps someone from the Draft or free agency.