CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski took the podium Wednesday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
Here’s the top Brownie Bites from Stefanski’s responses to questions from the Browns reporters who made the trip to cover the event.
Bad grades – The Browns fell from 21st overall to 23rd in overall grading by the team’s players in the NFLPA’s annual report card, which was released Wednesday. Cleveland received a D- for treatment of families down from a C in 2023 because the postgame meet up area is a tent outside the stadium and they are one of 12 teams that don’t have a family room at the stadium. The weight room received a D grade because, well, they don’t have a weight room. It has been in the field house since COVID because the old weight room was converted into a recovery treatment center. “I’m happy to tell you guys we're building a new weight room, so we know that that's an area that we want to get better,” Stefanski said. The locker room, which was gutted and expanded during a 2016 expansion and renovation of the training complex, remained a D+ with layers not feeling like there is enough space for them to dress. The team received C+s for food/cafeteria, nutritionist/dietitian and training room. Stefanski, who just took home his second NFL Coach of the Year award in four years, along with the training staff on the survey received a B-. The concerns from players regarding Stefanski were time management efficiency and willingness to listen to them. “I don't know all the details of the report card, but I know that I feel really comfortable that guys can come to me with any of their concerns,” Stefanski said. Browns ownership received a B while the strength staff got the highest grade on the survey with a B+ after receiving an A last year. “I take input from our players,” Stefanski said. “I feel really strongly about our leaders, our leadership committee, my office downstairs, the door is always open. Even if it's closed, it's open. So I welcome input and that will never change.” The NFLPA said over 1,700 players returned feedback on their respective teams leaguewide. “This project strives to capture an NFL player’s experience at his job/workplace and has nothing to do with winning, or losing football games,” NFLPA president J.C. Tretter said in a statement. “The standards we are seeking to elevate are ones that help or support the players and their families as they come to work every day. We hope that more clubs will see the value of this date so they can act and, in many cases, address simple things that make a big difference for their employees.”
Catching up – Stefanski revealed that he plans to travel to Los Angeles next week with new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey to visit quarterback Deshaun Watson. “I know he is going to start throwing here shortly. He's hitting all of his milestones,” Stefanski said. “Ken and I are going to go out and see him next week and spend some time, not talk football, just catch up. Won't see him throw, but just want to check in on him. But I text him almost every day, so he's in a good place.”
Clearing space – Wednesday morning the Browns restructure of Denzel Ward’s contract was revealed. The move will save the Browns over $11 million in cap space and puts the team under the $255.4 million cap threshold when the 2024 new league year begins at 4 p.m. eastern on March 13.
Please explain – Stefanski caught everyone off guard when he was asked about body language and quarterbacks. “We have a BBL fine in the quarterback room, a bad body language fine,” Stefanski said. “So we coach it. We never want to see a player on the field going like this. There's a palms up fine. So certainly how you carry yourself specifically at that quarterback position is important.”
