Skip Bayless Blasts Atlanta Falcons for Kevin Stefanski Hire

The Atlanta Falcons were considered one of the finalists for former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, who was hired by the New York Giants.

Whether Harbaugh was their top choice or not, we may never know, but we do know they moved quickly on Saturday to get former Cleveland Browns head coach and two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski.

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"We're thrilled to land a lead-by-example leader in Kevin Stefanski who brings a clear vision for his staff, our team and a closely aligned focus on building this team on fundamentals, toughness and active collaboration with every area of the football operation," president of football Matt Ryan said via release.

However, professional blowhard Skip Bayless took to X to blast the Falcons for the hire.

"The Atlanta Falcons hiring Kevin Stefanski is a big mistake. He's overrated. Talks a good game with owners. Doesn't connect with players. Arrogant, condescending. Now all that Falcons' talent will be wasted," Bayless wrote on X.

Brett Jewkes, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Blank Family of Businesses, was quick in the replies.

"100 percent opposite of the guy I met tonight. Maybe higher than that," Jewkes replied on X.

Mike Florio's led Pro Football Talk, who has been uber critical of the Falcons since they signed Kirk Cousins, even got in on the action. "Multiple Super Bowl wins coming to Atlanta," PFT reposted Bayless' comments.

Stefanski had a level of success in Cleveland that hadn't been seen since Marty Schottenheimer in the 1980's. Granted, it's a low bar, but Schottenheimer was the last Browns coach to have two double-digit win seasons in his tenure with the Browns.

He did it three straight years in 1986, 1987, and 1988, missing on the Super Bowl in '86 and '87 because of The Drive and The Fumble at the hands of John Elway and the Denver Broncos.

Since then, Bill Belichick won 11 games in 1994, and Romeo Crenell won 10 games in 2007. Stefanski won 11 games in 2020 and 2023. He was named AP NFL Coach of the Year after both seasons.

The 2023 team was particularly impressive. They finished No. 1 in total defense, but No 13 in points allowed, while finishing No. 10 in points scored with five quarterbacks starting games: Deshaun Watson (6), Joe Flacco (5), Dorian Thompson-Robinson (3), P.J. Walker (2), and Jeff Driskel (1).

It's a familiar story around the NFL that the lack of a franchise quarterback can doom a regime. It wasn't just that the Browns missed on their quarterback; they acquired Watson in what is universally considered the worst trade in NFL History.

The Browns gave up three first-round picks, two fourth-round picks, and a third, and then handed Watson a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract. Watson was immediately suspended by the NFL and never looked like the player the Browns thought they were getting once he returned.

Meanwhile, the Texans are playing the New England Patriots on Sunday afternoon for a chance to go to the AFC Championship Game. That's not a coincidence.

Not only was Watson damaged goods, but the price they paid to get him made it relatively impossible to get another quarterback. After making that deal, the Browns drafted three quarterbacks: Thompson Robinson (No. 140 overall in 2025), and Dillon Gabriel (No. 94) and Shedeur Sanders (No. 144) in 2025.

Each of those players was selected considerably later than Desmond Ridder, who the Falcons selected No. 74 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Success has been hard to come by lately in Atlanta. The Falcons have gone eight-straight seasons without a winning record or making the playoffs. It's been a tough place to win historically.

The Falcons are bringing in a new coach who has won in an even tougher place to win.

Stefanski and the Falcons hope they can find sustained success without the front office torpedoing the roster. So, next up in this cycle is hiring a general manager with Josh Williams of the 49ers and Ian Cunningham of the Chicago Bears considered the front runners.