Failure: A Familiar Friend of the Cleveland Browns

The Browns’ Real Problem Isn’t Talent — It’s Culture

There is a problem within the Cleveland Browns organization, and since this offseason, it has only worsened. Fans are understandably worried about the impact this could have on a team that once showed so much promise. While the lack of baseline talent on the roster is the most visible issue, it’s not the one that should concern fans long-term.

The deeper issue is cultural.

How the Culture Once Changed — And Then Collapsed

Fans often credit Kevin Stefanski, Andrew Berry, Baker Mayfield, and Jarvis Landry for transforming both the culture and the feeling around this franchise. Baker and Landry revitalized the on-field product and re-energized the fanbase. Stefanski and Berry brought competence and stability to a front office that had grown stagnant.

These four deserve recognition. It’s impossible to talk about the Browns’ recent resurgence without mentioning them. But with Landry pushing to continue his career elsewhere and Baker moving on to greener pastures, Stefanski and Berry have allowed the culture shift to die. And to understand why, we need to look at the broader context of Browns history.

Kevin Stefanski: A Long Tenure With Short Results

A Surprisingly Long-Reigning Head Coach

This year marks Kevin Stefanski’s sixth season as head coach — making him the fourth-longest tenured HC in Browns history. Only Paul Brown (17 seasons), Blanton Collier (8), and Sam Rutigliano (7) coached longer. It’s elite company in name and legacy.

But the results don’t match the resume.

A Tenure That Doesn’t Stack Up

Stefanski’s six years compare more closely to Freddie Kitchens and Hue Jackson than to the legends he stands beside in the record books. Across 51 combined seasons, Brown, Collier, Rutigliano, and Schottenheimer missed the playoffs only 14 times — roughly three per coach. Stefanski has missed the postseason four times in six years.

Even accounting for era differences, the postseason numbers make things worse:

The only playoff win under Stefanski came when he wasn’t coaching due to COVID.

In that game, the Browns beat Pittsburgh 48–37, and their QB threw 3 TDs.

In the two playoff games Stefanski did coach, the Browns scored a combined 31 points and allowed 67, with QBs throwing 2 TDs and 3 INTs.

Leadership Problems Beyond the Field

Beyond coaching shortcomings, Stefanski struggles with leadership. Annual offseason drama — from Myles Garrett’s media flare-ups to the public sideline confrontation between Jerry Jeudy and Shedeur Sanders — exposes a lack of accountability and discipline. A head coach is supposed to minimize distractions, not preside over them.

Unfortunately, Stefanski falls short here too.

Andrew Berry: A GM With a Disturbing Track Record

One of the Longest-Tenured… and Least Effective

The Browns have had 13 GMs since 1946. Only five have lasted five or more years. Among those five, Andrew Berry ranks at the bottom. Despite his tenure, his performance is comparable to disasters like Ray Farmer and the “Money Manziel” era.

Draft Failures

Berry’s drafting record is staggering:

36 draft picks in five years

Only five have become even somewhat successful

31 have been non-contributors or outright busts

That alone is indicative of a systemic failure in team-building.

The Watson Trade Disaster

Berry is responsible for the worst trade in NFL history:

He sent a haul of picks to Houston

Houston used that capital to build a playoff team that is now thriving

Cleveland received a QB with major off-field misconduct, a year-long suspension, and a fully guaranteed 5-year, $230M contract.

Since then:

Watson has played only 19 games in three years

Cleveland has drafted two young QBs

Watson may never take another snap for the team

This is franchise-altering mismanagement.

A Franchise Built on Contradiction

The Browns have devolved into a living contradiction — an organization that markets “excellence” while demonstrating the opposite. Fans are sold a vision of stability and success:

A head coach with no real control over his players

A general manager with a catastrophic talent-evaluation record

A culture that has rotted from the inside

Despite the claims of a “culture change,” the results show otherwise.

Conclusion: The Culture Didn’t Change — It Died

The Browns’ true issue isn’t injuries, talent gaps, or bad luck. It’s a foundational cultural collapse under Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry. Until the organization confronts its leadership problems, no amount of roster reshuffling will save them.

The so-called “culture change” changed nothing.