Browns' final game against Bengals just got more important for Kevin Stefanski's job

If Cleveland Browns fans thought their Week 18 game against the Cincinnati Bengals wasn't meaningful, the importance of winning just magnified.

Oct 12, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Many look at the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals Week 18 matchup as a nothing burger since both teams are out of the playoff hunt, but this might end up being the most crucial game of the season.

That's because there are jobs on the line depending on how the Browns play. The future of head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry has been a topic of discussion throughout the season, but that is about to get much louder.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam does not want to make any decisions until he has a chance to watch the team play against the Bengals. After that, the brass of the Browns will meet on Monday morning to discuss whether they need to make changes or keep things as they are.

While 4-12 is technically a better record than the three wins they got in 2024, going 7-26 in the last two years will undoubtedly spark a conversation about job security. It wasn't always like this, though, as Stefanski had probably the best job security of any Browns coach after four years since the franchise came back in 1999.

Stefanski was wildly successful, with two winning seasons, a 1-2 playoff record, and two NFL Coach of the Year awards in his first four years in Cleveland. He currently holds a 44-56 overall record as the head coach of the Browns.

Haslam might be giving the Browns more time with Stefanski and Berry, using Week 18 as the deciding factor, in part due to the team's progress this year. While one more win isn't enough to get excited about, the team selected five potential long-term starters from the 2025 NFL Draft and has shown growth in the offense that was one of the worst earlier in the year.

It helps that a proper rebuild of the Browns wouldn't take as long, thanks to the 2025 draft class and the defense. Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has quietly built one of the best defenses in the NFL, as they are second in total defense with 278.6 yards per game, so very little work would have to be done there.

With all things considered, the Browns are set up to have massive success over the next year or two, but it will come down to whether there are any better options than Stefanski out there. He's already turned this franchise around once, and he can do it again in a heartbeat.