NFL Reporter Destroys Narrative That Kevin Stefanski Failed His QBs in Cleveland

The Atlanta Falcons officially hired Kevin Stefanski a week ago, and the opinions on the decision have been piling on – with some more informed than others. One of the poorer takes is that the former Cleveland Browns head coach left his quarterbacks isolated, with Shedeur Sanders as a particular lightning rod.

Aditi Kinkhabwala, NFL reporter for NFL on CBS, covered Stefanski and was able to put a lot of that speculation to bed. She joined Dukes & Bell on Sports Radio 92.9 The Game in Atlanta on Friday afternoon and responded to a lot of the misinformation that has been circulating about Stefanski.

Falcons fans must-listen!

Browns Preseason Sideline Reporter @AKinkhabwala joined @DukesandBell929 and dismissed rumors surrounding the treatment & relationship between Kevin Stefanski & Shedeur Sanders

LISTEN: pic.twitter.com/7v5B0NXhMT
— Chris Thomas - Turtle (@CThomasRadio) January 23, 2026

“Kevin Stefanski came up with a very specific development plan for both of his rookie quarterbacks, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders,” she explained. “He tailored [those plans] to each of them. It wasn’t just, ‘okay, here’s a plan for the rookies,’ it’s, ‘this is how we best help Dillon Gabriel and this is how we best help Shedeur Sanders.’ [Stefanski] devoted extra individual practice time every Friday and every Monday to the rookies that weren’t playing.

The Falcons Podcast: Spotify | Apple Pods | WATCH

“When Shedeur Sanders, early in the season, wasn’t dressing and wasn’t getting a jersey [for games], he was getting individual, one-on-one coaching every Friday and Monday after practice. Once he became the starter, Kevin Stefanski, even though he wasn’t calling the plays, was making time for one-on-one meetings with his starting quarterback multiple times a week, and as many times a week as Shedeur Sanders was in there.

Kinkhabwala then took to social media to clearly outline what she said during her time on the Falcons’ flagship station.

“created an extensive and specific development plan, tailored to each
had extra individual practice time every Fri and Mon for Shedeur Sanders when he was not dressing
had one-on-one morning meeting time with Shedeur, multiple times a week, when he was starting
always showed intentionality in calling plays to make the QB comfortable, whichever one was starting (ie don’t call explosives early if that QB prefers a few quick easy completions to get legs under him)
was willing to go away from his core principles to suit either rookie when he was starting
incorporated suggestions from whichever QB started
just as he had with the other 11 he had 13 starting QBs in six years. Two-time Coach of the Year in those six years. (The second time when forced to start FIVE very different QBs)”

The idea that Stefanski failed to support or develop his quarterbacks does not hold up under even light scrutiny, and Kinkhabwala’s reporting makes that clear. If anything, his Cleveland tenure paints the picture of a coach who went out of his way to individualize development plans, adjust his scheme, and create comfort for whoever was under center.

What happens next for the Atlanta Falcons? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Falcons news delivered to your inbox daily!

That context matters as the Falcons begin this new era. For a franchise staring down major decisions with Michael Penix Jr., Kirk Cousins, and potentially future additions at the position, that flexibility and intentionality could prove invaluable.

Stefanski may not have a stellar résumé in terms of long-term quarterback stability, but the notion that he’s careless or inattentive to the position simply doesn’t align with what we know to be true. As the noise around his hire continues to swirl, Kinkhabwala’s account offers a reminder that not all takes are created equal, and that Atlanta may have landed a coach far better equipped to handle its quarterback future than some early criticism would suggest.