Did Browns Kevin Stefanski Appear In This Outlet's Top 10 Coaches?

Pro Football Network ranked all 32 NFL coaches going into next season. Did Kevin Stefanski crack the top 10 after taking the Browns to the playoffs for a second time in four years?

In four years, head coach Kevin Stefanski has been at the forefront of turning around a Browns organization that for decades was the antithesis of winning.

Cleveland is 37-30 over that span, and has led the Browns to two playoff appearances after the franchise failed to make the postseason for 18 consecutive years. The team's most recent run to the playoffs came amidst a tumultuous season in 2023 that saw more than a dozen players end up on the injured reserve, as Stefanski's kept the team focused en route to an 11-6 record and a wild card berth. The 41-year-old head man was rewarded for his efforts with a second Coach of the Year Award.

While that resume would usually be enough for a head coach to be considered top 10 among his contemporaries, Stefanski found himself on the outside looking in the Pro Football Network's 2024 head coach rankings. The Browns head man came in at No. 11 on the list, just missing the exclusive portion of the ranking.

The coaches ahead of him in order were Andy Reid of the Chiefs, Sean McVay of the Rams, Kyle Shanahan of the 49ers, John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens, Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jim Harbaugh of the Chargers, Matt Lafleur of the Packers, Sean Payton of the Broncos, Dan Campbell of the Lions and Mike McDaniel of the Dolphins.

That made Stefanski the third highest ranked coach within the AFC North with John Harbaugh and Tomlin ranked ahead of him. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor came in one spot behind Stefanski at No. 12. Jim Harbaugh is the one new head coach positioned ahead of Stefanski.

Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam confirmed at the league's annual owner's meetings this week that Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry are both due for contract extensions that would keep him in Northeast Ohio for the foreseeable future. Do you think Stefanski belongs in the top 10 coaches in the NFL?