Kevin Stefanski has been tasked with fixing an offense that seemingly has an infinite amount of potential, and the first-year head coach is taking on plenty of responsibility heading into Week 1.
Stefanski revealed on Friday that he will be calling plays for the Browns at the start of the season. As Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Browns noted, he indicated that play-calling will be a collaborative effort with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. Stefanski will clearly have the final say, however.
Stefanski called plays last season for a Minnesota Vikings offense that finished eighth in the NFL in points per game. They were also sixth in the league in rushing, and Kirk Cousins had the fourth-highest passer rating in the NFL at 107.4. The Browns hired Stefanski to bring some of that magic to Baker Mayfield and his supporting cast.
Freddie Kitchens did not call plays in his lone season as Browns head coach last year. He made it a point to not take over play-calling duties, and there was said to be serious disconnect between him and his former offensive coordinator.
It makes sense for Stefanski to handle play-calling out of the gate. He has plenty of experience with it, and he can always give more responsibility to Van Pelt if things go poorly. It’s easier to hand off some play-calling to your offensive coordinator during the season than it is to take responsibility away.
