Giants, Titans Reportedly Eye Stefanski if Browns Fire HC After Marcus Freeman Rumors

After Marcus Freeman opted to stay with Notre Dame, teams in need of a new head coach, like the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans, are reportedly hoping that another prime candidate shakes loose.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Sunday's episode of NFL Countdown (1:55 mark) that Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski will be on the radar for multiple teams if he's fired after this season.

"If and when the Cleveland Browns move on from him as I expect would be the case, I believe he'll automatically become a candidate for the New York Giants, for the Tennessee Titans, and he will be one of the more sought-after candidates in this head coaching cycle if and when Cleveland moves on from him, which I expect," Schefter said.

Stefanski has coached the Browns since 2020 and led the team to two playoff appearances. Unfortunately, the last two years have been wildly disappointing for Cleveland, as the team enters Sunday's season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals (6-10) with a 4-12 record after finishing at 3-14 in 2024.

The Giants and Titans were the only teams to fire their head coaches during the season, letting go of Brian Daboll and Brian Callahan, respectively. Both teams have already been in the preliminary stages of lining up potential candidates, but Stefanski hitting the market would be a game-changer.

"This is a two-time Coach of the Year, somebody who still will want to coach, somebody who's got a lot of energy," Schefter said.

The Browns scored an upset 13-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17, so it's clear that the players haven't given up on Stefanski. It can be expected that Cleveland will put forth a spirited effort against Cincinnati, but it sounds like even a win won't be enough to keep him around, as Schefter added that this "obviously is a situation where we ultimately believe he'll be out."

Stefanski will have a slew of options in front of him if he parts ways with the Browns, and he could benefit from a change in scenery by tackling a new challenge with a new franchise.