CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Kevin Stefanski is out of coordinators to fire.
After making defensive and special teams coordinator changes last offseason, Stefanski informed offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt Tuesday he would not return for a fifth year a league source confirmed to 92.3 The Fan.
Josina Anderson first reported the news.
Following a 45-14 loss to the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card, Stefanski decided to shake up his coaching staff on the offensive side of the ball.
In addition to Van Pelt’s ouster, running backs coach Stump Mitchell was fired and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney will not return as well.
Van Pelt did not call plays but was responsible for helping to coach quarterbacks and assemble game plans under Stefanski, who handled play calling duties during games.
Van Pelt worked with nine different starting quarterbacks since the 2020 season, including five in 2023 alone.
Joe Flacco was signed in late November to help salvage the Browns season and the veteran put together the best five-game stretch of his career that saw him throw for 1,616 yards with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions as he went 4-1 as a starter in the regular season.
Following the loss of Nick Chubb for the season in Week 2, the Browns struggled to find consistency running the football. Running back Jerome Ford averaged 4.0 yards per carry and Kareem Hunt 3.0 yards per carry during the regular season. Both backs scored nine touchdowns with Hunt rushing for nine and Ford adding four more on the ground and catching five.
McCartney helped develop tight end David Njoku into a Pro Bowler after the 2017 first round pick enjoyed a career season that saw him lead the team with 81 catches for a career-high 882 yards and six touchdowns.
Despite the rash of injuries and quarterback changes, the Browns went 11-6 and made the playoffs for the second time in four seasons.
