Kevin Stefanski isn't new to the chatter, and if you think a 2-8 record has him sweating, think again. The Browns head coach has been through the ringer before. He grew up around it, really — his father, Ed Stefanski, spent decades navigating the highs and lows of NBA front offices. That kind of upbringing teaches you how to tune out the noise, even when it feels like it's blaring from every direction.
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"I think probably because I grew up listening to that, I'm smart enough to not worry about outside noise," Stefanski said at Tuesday's press conference. "I get that that's part of this gig. That's life in the big city. My sole focus is getting this team ready to get a win."
It's the kind of steady demeanor you expect from a guy who was named Coach of the Year not once, but twice. But Stefanski knows better than anyone that the NFL is a what have you done for me lately league. And right now, the Browns' fortunes haven't been trending up. At 2-8, they're on the outside looking in—and that's generous.
Even so, Stefanski isn't going anywhere. Not yet, at least. The organization believed in him enough to hand him a contract extension earlier this year, and his track record suggests he's earned some runway. Sure, the results aren't there this season, but it's not like Stefanski forgot how to coach.
Still, in Cleveland, patience isn't exactly a virtue. Fans and pundits alike want answers, and more importantly, wins. Stefanski knows the score.
"That's part of this gig," he said. And for the Browns, getting a win—or at least showing a spark—may be all the coach needs to quiet the noise, if only temporarily.
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