Sep 24, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel and Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski talk during warmups before the game at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
NFLBy Ben Axelrod on

While the Cleveland Browns have spent the past week improving their roster, on Friday, the team made a major addition to its coaching staff.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Field Yates, the Browns have hired former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel as a coaching and personnel consultant.

But while The Athletic’s Robert Mays reports that the plan is for Vrabel to “act as a sounding board for Kevin Stefanski but also as a resource for a coaching staff with a lot of youth and turnover,” some in the NFL world have wondered what Vrabel’s hiring means for Stefanski’s future with the franchise. Despite Stefanski being named the NFL Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2023, some have questioned how much job security he actually has as he has yet to lead the Browns on a deep postseason run in his first four seasons with the franchise.

In Vrabel, Cleveland hired a successful head coach in his own right, who led the Titans to the playoffs three times in six seasons and was named the 2021 NFL Coach of the Year. He also happens to be a Northeast Ohio native who starred at nearby Walsh Jesuit High School and down the road at Ohio State.

Following the the news of Vrabel’s return to the Buckeye State, many took to social media to weigh in on what it might mean for Stefanski’s future in Cleveland.

[Adam Schefter, Robert Mays]

About Ben Axelrod

Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.

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