The Cleveland Browns enjoyed their bye week in Week 9, as it offered them a chance to reset after a rough 2-6 start to the new season. The time off allowed head coach Kevin Stefanski a chance to think and reflect on his operation, and it led to announcing a big change on the offensive side of the ball on Monday.
This isn’t the first time the Browns have made a big change on offense, as they replaced Joe Flacco with Dillon Gabriel as their starting quarterback after four games. And while this change doesn’t directly involve the quarterback position, it could end up having a big impact on Gabriel’s production on a weekly basis.
Kevin Stefanski Hands Offensive Playcalling Duties to Tommy Rees
Entering the 2025 campaign, it was pretty clear that it was going to be a struggle on offense for the Browns. Without a clear answer at the quarterback position and limited weapons on offense, Cleveland’s formula for winning games was going to be by keeping teams in low-scoring games with its standout defense.
So far, that’s been pretty much exactly how the season has gone. Flacco struggled under center, and Gabriel hasn’t looked any better after replacing him. If the defense can limit the opposing offense, the Browns have a shot at winning, but if they can’t, chances are Cleveland is going to end up with a loss.
Despite that, the Browns’ offense has seen guys like Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin Jr. emerge as contributors this season. The problem is that, while they have excelled individually, it hasn’t led to much success as a unit for Cleveland. Stefanski is making a change in an effort to spark the offense, as he revealed he’s handing over the offensive playcalling duties to offensive coordinator Tommy Rees moving forward.
“On playcalling, I’m gonna have Tommy call the plays on offense,” Stefanski said at his press conference on Monday. “These are things that I am always looking at. What can we do better? I have a ton of trust and faith in Tommy; he’s more than capable. Excited for him, but bottom line is we have to just get better collectively. That’s offense, that’s defense, that’s special teams, that’s players, that’s coaches. That’s our charge, and that’s what we’re working hard to do.”
Will Kevin Stefanski’s Change Provide a Spark for the Browns’ Offense?
GettyHead coach Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns.
This is the second season in a row where Stefanski has relinquished his playcalling duties midway through the year. Last year, offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey took over as the team’s offensive playcaller, but things didn’t go any better under his lead, and he ended up getting fired at the end of the season. Rees was hired as his replacement, and the hope is that he can help unlock the offense.
The problem is that, unless Gabriel takes a massive step forward or Stefanski decides to turn to Shedeur Sanders, the Browns’ offense will likely stay the same moving forward. They do have a shot to get back in the win column in Week 10, as they will take on the one-win New York Jets when they return to action. Whether or not Rees’ playcalling abilities will be enough to help them earn a victory, though, remains to be seen.
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