Browns Coach Kevin Stefanski Brushes Off Baltimore History Before Week 2 Matchup

The Baltimore Ravens are celebrating their 30th anniversary during their home opener on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

30 years ago, Art Modell moved the Browns to Baltimore, a controversial business move that changed the outlook on NFL history forever. It would be fair to argue that the Browns still have not recovered from the move, as the 1999 expansion team has been a shell of the championship-winning and perennial AFC-contending Browns that used to play at Municipal Stadium.

Many Browns fans have taken the 30th anniversary festivities as a sign of disrespect. It’s salt in the wound for a passionate, loyal fanbase that has remained dedicated to their team despite limited success on the field. Meanwhile, they have been forced to watch the team that was stripped of them dominate the AFC North and win two Super Bowls.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was asked on Wednesday if he is using the history of these organizations to inspire his team before this weekend’s AFC North matchup.

“Our players know the history of our franchise,” Stefanski said. “Our focus really is on this week and this opponent.”

After a 17-16 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, Cleveland’s coaching staff should be doing anything in their power to find motivation going into another divisonal matchup. Against Cincinnati, the Browns did almost everything right. They held Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in check as the Bengals only had seven yards of offense in the second half. But costly drops leading to interceptions and missed kicks from rookie Andre Szmyt caused the Browns to start the season 0-1.

Stefanski has started seasons 0-1 before as a head coach, but every single time he has bounced back in Week 2 with a victory. This game will be uphill sledding for the Browns, who are 11.5-point underdogs against the Ravens.

In a game with so much history weaved into it, it’s also quarterback Joe Flacco’s first career game against his former team in Baltimore. Flacco won Super Bowl MVP with the Ravens in 2013. While the 40 year-old has downplayed his first trip back to Maryland, there has been some speculation that his final season with the Ravens had been turbulent because of Lamar Jackson taking away his starting role.

Flacco is 0-1 against Jackson’s Ravens, but he was with the New York Jets and Adam Gase then, and has since bounced back in Stefanski’s offense.

According to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, a Ravens spokesperson insinuated that the 30-year celebration was planned before the NFL schedule was released.

From a #Ravens spokesperson on celebrating 30 years of football on Sunday while the #Browns are in town: pic.twitter.com/TC2UrC0SlL
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 10, 2025

“Planning for our 30th season began last year, with the home opener as the official kickoff of our anniversary celebration,” the statement read. “The plans to celebrate the 30th season were publicly released in March prior to the announcement of the league schedule and before we knew who our home opening opponent would be.”

Both the Ravens and Browns will be searching for their first victory on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.