Former Cleveland Browns quarterback calls out Kevin Stefanski after disappointing loss

Another Sunday, another disappointing loss for the Cleveland Browns.

In the NFL's most recent rendition of the International Series, the Browns suffered a 21-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The team had every opportunity to win as the offense was lit up by first-year quarterback Dillon Gabriel and running back Quinshon Judkins, while the defense was anchored with two forced turnovers and 14 points allowed up until the final drive.

Gabriel tossed for 19-of-33 through the air for 190 yards and two touchdowns, going to tight ends David Njoku and Harold Fannin Jr.. In the rushing game, Judkins had another strong showing as he tacked on 110 yards on 23 carries.

It was a loss that doesn't make much sense on paper. And rightfully so, many are questioning why Cleveland ended up on the opposite side of the result.

How does a team have such strong individual performances, yet suffer its fourth defeat in five games?

Former NFL quarterback, who played in Cleveland for the 2016 season, Robert Griffin III, put out a post on X after the game voicing his concerns. Griffin III questioned the result and placed blame on the team's coaching.

The Cleveland Browns had a Rookie QB in Dillon Gabriel making his first career start and threw 2 TDs with no turnovers on foreign soil. Had a rookie running back run for 110 yards. Had a defense force 2 turnovers and get 3 sacks. And still lost. That’s a coaching issue.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 5, 2025

"The Cleveland Browns had a Rookie QB in Dillon Gabriel making his first career start and threw 2 TDs with no turnovers on foreign soil," his post read. "Had a rookie running back run for 110 yards. Had a defense force 2 turnovers and get 3 sacks. And still lost. That’s a coaching issue."

These types of comments are only going to continue to be pushed out in the coming days as this loss for Cleveland marks a record of 4-18 in the past two seasons. That's simple unexectable for a team that has an elite defense with many players in the midst of their prime.

No player wants to waste the best years of their career on a struggling team, and not many fans want to watch a team that continues to blow away wins every Sunday.

Two things Griffin III knows far too well in his eight-year NFL career and time as a member of the media.

In his one year with the Browns, he passed for 886 yards on a 59% completion mark to go alongside two touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed 31 times for 190 yards and two touchdowns. After his stint in Cleveland, he would go on to play for the Baltimore Ravens for three seasons before transitioning into broadcast and television work.

Sunday showed that the Browns have the talent to compete with some of the top team's in the league this season. They passed, rushed and defended well, while also having a consistent leg in the kicking department with Andre Szmyt going 2-for-2 in PATs and making one field goal.

The game should have been won by the Browns, but questionable, conservative play calling limited the team late in the game.

The offense went back and forth from small passes to trying to fire deep down the field. Unfortunately, late in the game, Gabriel couldn't connect on any passes that were medium or deep range. Stefanski tried to put the game in his first-time-starting quarterback's hands, instead of riding off the hot play of Judkins, who was over 100 yards rushing at that point.

It may have been a simple lapse in judgment, but losing the last 18 of 22 games is going to start drawing more and more eyeballs.

With Robert Griffin III and many others publicly starting to call out Stefanski, the two-time Coach of the Year better hope the team starts to pick up some wins.