Former MN Vikings Coach on the Block

This season has not gone well for the Minnesota Vikings. Even with a win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, they’ll fall short of the playoffs. Few expected a 9-8 record after the organization spent heavily this offseason.

Despite the disappointment, Kevin O’Connell is not in danger of losing his job. That same confidence does not necessarily extend to general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. It certainly doesn’t apply to former Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski, whose tenure with the Cleveland Browns appears to be nearing its end.

Kevin Stefanski a Trade Candidate for Cleveland Browns

After serving as the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive coordinator in 2019, Kevin Stefanski landed the head coaching job in Cleveland. He has now been with the Browns for six seasons, longer than most of the quarterbacks the organization has employed during that span. Stefanski has also been named NFL Coach of the Year twice. Still, following a 4–12 season, his future is very much in question.

Sources: The league-wide expectation is that the #Browns are likely to make changes, and two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski is believed to be on the hottest seat in the organization.

Sources believe he’s either getting let go or could be a trade candidate — though… pic.twitter.com/fxiVlaXohr

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 3, 2026

As Jordan Schultz reports, it appears more likely that Cleveland would simply move on from Stefanski rather than attempt to trade him. Coaching trades are rare and complicated, and it’s unclear what a realistic market for a head coach would look like.

That said, the Browns have been mismanaged for years, and finding any way to recoup assets would be a logical move. Stefanski has been dealt a difficult hand, particularly at quarterback, and owns a 44–56 record (.440) through his first 100 games as a head coach.

This season alone, Stefanski started three different quarterbacks. Cleveland drafted Dillon Gabriel in the third round, only to select Shedeur Sanders in the fifth. Neither appears to be the long-term answer, and Deshaun Watson’s massive contract continues to loom as a significant obstacle.

At just 43 years old, Stefanski is far from done in the NFL. Whether he lands another job this cycle or takes time away, it’s reasonable to expect him to get another opportunity. A return to the coordinator ranks is also possible, after all, the Vikings went 10–6 in 2019 with Stefanski running the offense for Kirk Cousins.