It’s time to remember that Browns co-owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam put chief strategy officer DePodesta in charge of leading the search that brought coach Kevin Stefanski to Cleveland.
Years from now, that might be the aha moment that turned the franchise around.
This isn’t a case of the fifth time is a charm for the Haslams, who fired Stefanski's four predecessors they chose since taking over in 2012.
Belatedly or not, the Haslams finally recognized their failings in finding a leader and turned to someone who wouldn’t succumb to emotion, who wouldn’t be schmoozed, who would see through the best-foot-forward part of the interview and dig for the person underneath.
That was DePodesta.
DePodesta chose Stefanski in 2019, but the Haslams allowed then-General Manager John Dorsey to pick Freddie Kitchens, a captivating character but an incapable head coach. By New Year's Day, both Dorsey and Kitchens were gone.
DePodesta chose Sean McDermott in 2016, but the Haslams went with Hue Jackson, whose 3-36-1 record marks the darkest days in franchise history.
McDermott, meanwhile, took the Buffalo Bills to the playoffs in two of his first three seasons, has them atop the AFC East at 10-3 and in August received a six-year contract extension that runs through 2025.
Even after Monday night’s 47-42 loss to the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium, Stefanski had led the Browns (9-4) to the threshold of their first playoff appearance since 2002. That makes DePodesta two-for-two — or three-for-three depending on how you see it — on his most recent recommendations.
Considering that the Bills and Browns could meet in the postseason, the road to the Super Bowl might include winning the DePo Bowl.
Before McDermott’s Bills reached an AFC wild-card game in 2017, they hadn’t been to the playoffs since 1999, a drought of 17 years. That’s the same length of futility the Browns face.
There seems no doubt now that In his last three coaching searches, DePodesta has found the right man to lead a franchise out of the wilderness. Over that span, perhaps DePodesta became a little better at selling his choice, or at selling himself.
A former baseball executive with the New York Mets, San Diego Padres and Oakland A’s who began his MLB career as a player development intern with the Indians in 1996, DePodesta admitted in January that he had much to learn about the NFL when the Browns hired him nearly five years ago.
Frustrated fans would credit the Browns Rally Possum if it meant the Haslams weren’t firing someone every year or two. No matter how or why they came to realize they’d made a mistake in bypassing Stefanski and righted that wrong, Stefanski has been a smashing success. He deserves NFL coach of the year just for the dysfunction he and General Manager Andrew Berry have buried.
Stefanski has been an unflappable, strong leader in the most trying of circumstances. The 14 years he spent with the Minnesota Vikings, climbing the ladder from gofer as assistant to coach Brad Childress, could not have prepared him for the challenges of a global pandemic and racial unrest following the Memorial Day death of George Floyd.
Stefanski has handled it all with empathy. He has developed a family atmosphere despite the increase in virtual meetings as COVID-19 surges. He has proven not only his football knowledge but his commitment to putting his players in their best positions to succeed. He has taught them discipline, toughness and the sacrifice required to win. He has shown them he cares about them.
As last year’s promising season fell apart, there was no sense that the players were still committed to Kitchens. Not surprisingly, as the Browns try to reach new heights for the expansion era, praise for Stefanski continues to build.
“From his first press conference and still his mantra today is, ‘We have to put the work in.’ He’s a man of his words,” receiver Jarvis Landry said Friday.
“It’s hard to explain, but he’s just the same guy,” left guard Joel Bitonio said Friday. “The expectations never change, and that is to always work, to always improve and to always put the team first. The standard never changes.”
Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi said Stefanski excels at challenging his players with goals of winning the meeting, winning the practice, winning the day and winning the week. It sounds so simple, but they’re buying in, showing the same focus and dedication on Friday that’s required on Sunday.
“He just gets it. He does a great job of keeping the main thing the main thing,” Ogunjobi said Saturday. “Nobody is going to lay down for you. Nobody is going to give you what you want. You have to go out each and every week and you have to take it. You have to earn it. I feel like that’s a special characteristic he has.”
DePodesta said in January that in the search that ended up with Kitchens, the Browns researched over 50 candidates. DePodesta looked at the cost of constant change, of so many coaches, coordinators, philosophies, offensive and defensive schemes and how it stunts the players’ and the franchise’s progress.
“There is a real cost to that,” he said on Jan. 14. “We have to get this right. When we embarked on this ... we talked about what we are looking for — we are looking for someone for the next 10-plus years.”
But it wasn’t the impressive list of quarterbacks Stefanski had worked with or his knowledge of Gary Kubiak’s offense that convinced DePodesta that Stefanski was the right hire.
“It really is about leadership, more than anything else,” DePodesta said at Stefanski’s introduction. “What kind of communicator is somebody? How collaborative is he? How natural or authentic is he? All of those things are important, but they all really point toward leadership.”
DePodesta said all that before COVID-19 rocked the world, before Floyd’s death brought an awakening that prompted Stefanski to form a players’ social justice committee.
No one knew then how right DePodesta was — not only about Stefanski, but about the quality that should be valued most.
It's too soon to say that the Browns have found their 10-year man, with few successful coaches surviving that long with the same franchise any more. But Stefanski looks to have staying power and DePodesta deserves the credit, both for his choice and his persistence.
I don't have a subscription, but I'll take a stab at it.
He was right about: Coach, GM, the need for everyone in the organization to have synergy, the overall plan to tear down and acquire assets to rebuild while clearing cap and setting us up financially going forward.... basically, the bones & structure of everything - including the teardown that resulted in us going 1-31.
Browns is the Browns
... there goes Joe Thomas, the best there ever was in this game.
I mean, we haven't even made the playoffs yet. Little early to crown Depodesta. We're 2-3 in our division games too. Granted I know the refs jobbed us on MNF but we had chances to put it away and blew it.
Hopefully next year and a month from now we're in the playoffs 2 consecutive times with some wins over the Ravens/Steelers, but that article seems way premature.
You know, I changed my frame of thought from what it was previously. I used to buy the hype that gets peddled every year about hiring the next great coordinator or offensive/defensive mind to bring your team along, but that so often misses the mark.
One thing that Anthony Lynn (ironically) said about being a head coach in the league is that there is a stark difference between knowing how to scheme and call plays, and knowing how to lead a 53-man squad to victory. Makes a lot of sense.
You see guys like Tomlin, McDermott, Stefanski, etc. who were good in their coordinating jobs, but not seen as exceptional innovators. They (so far) have shown to be good head coaches though.
On the flipside, you have guys like Gase, Hue, LeBeau, etc. who are considered coordinating geniuses that by-and-large flopped as head coaches.
There's definitely a leadership factor in there. I just wonder how you can discover it with analytics
Blue ostriches on crack float on milkshakes between the sidewalk titans of gurglefitz. --YTown
Good point. And it’s an intangible thing, too ... leadership is tough to quantify. I give Paul Depo credit for knowing the right guy to hire schematically, analytically, and from a leadership standpoint
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
I mean, we haven't even made the playoffs yet. Little early to crown Depodesta. We're 2-3 in our division games too. Granted I know the refs jobbed us on MNF but we had chances to put it away and blew it.
Hopefully next year and a month from now we're in the playoffs 2 consecutive times with some wins over the Ravens/Steelers, but that article seems way premature.
I think you were premature.
Haters going to hate.
It just chaps some peoples ass that Depo has done a fantastic job.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
I'll ask the same thing I asked before... what is his job, actually? What is it, exactly that he works on each day?
At this point, I don't mind him giving himself a couple pats on the back. The hottest of his hot-takes have actually turned out to be true (Wentz, McDermidt vs Hue, Stefanski vs Freddie). Hearing those couple little snippets about what he was looking for in the interview room was interesting.
There is no level of sucking we haven't seen; in fact, I'm pretty sure we hold the patents on a few levels of sucking NOBODY had seen until the past few years.
What his job is tends to be something nobody can factually pinpoint. People guess and claim they know but really do not. The trend seems to be that if something turns out bad it's the fault of everyone but Depo. If it turns out be good, Depo did it.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
What his job is tends to be something nobody can factually pinpoint. People guess and claim they know but really do not. The trend seems to be that if something turns out bad it's the fault of everyone but Depo. If it turns out be good, Depo did it.
When GM states something as fact, I believe him. You know as well as I do his connections are real.
Connections to what? So are you saying when Sashi and Dorsey said something you believed them or have you simply decided that you will pick and choose who you believe?
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
The trend seems to be that if something turns out bad it's the fault of everyone but Depo. If it turns out be good, Depo did it.
Kind of like when 1-31 was everybody's fault but Hue's. I still can't believe people wanted to give Hue more time after achieving his unprecedented level of suckitude.
And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul. - John Muir
The trend seems to be that if something turns out bad it's the fault of everyone but Depo. If it turns out be good, Depo did it.
Kind of like when 1-31 was everybody's fault but Hue's. I still can't believe people wanted to give Hue more time after achieving his unprecedented level of suckitude.
Huh. That Alanis Moressette song coincidentally popped into my head.
At DT, context and meaning are a scarecrow kicking at moving goalposts.
The trend seems to be that if something turns out bad it's the fault of everyone but Depo. If it turns out be good, Depo did it.
Kind of like when 1-31 was everybody's fault but Hue's. I still can't believe people wanted to give Hue more time after achieving his unprecedented level of suckitude.
I can admit it; I wanted us to keep him. I was THAT sick of the constant change that I was absolutely SURE if he just had more time the ship would get righted. I couldn't believe that one man could be THAT FREAKING BAD at his job.
I was so very wrong.
Browns is the Browns
... there goes Joe Thomas, the best there ever was in this game.
We'll find out next year. Without trying to start a fight here, I think it's a combination of the talent brought in by Dorsey combined with the coaching of Stefanski. I mean if we're going to ask hypothetical questions, where would Stefanski and the team be now without Mayfield, Chubb and all of the talent Dorsey brought to the roster?
I'm at the point that I feel it's a culmination of the roster Dorsey helped build along with the coaching ability that Stefanski brings that brought us to where we are now.
But it seems people are giving the GM credit for the good picks and blame Depo for the bad ones. I think the GM should get credit for both. Depo just provides data and recommendations.
With many, Depo is scapegoat simply because he is a "nerd" and not a "football guy". We'll have to win a 'chip before the masses truly tip their cap to him.
After all, they blame Depo for not selecting Carson Wentz.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
Oh it is great. The owner didn't trust him enough to listen to him therefore he didn't have the power to make those calls. Still people want to give him credit. And they act like they know everything that went on behind the scenes. The entire thing is a farce.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
What his job is tends to be something nobody can factually pinpoint. People guess and claim they know but really do not. The trend seems to be that if something turns out bad it's the fault of everyone but Depo. If it turns out be good, Depo did it.
The only people who have claimed to know are those like mac and those who believed in those wild conspiracy theories where DePo was staging coup after coup to consolidate his power base. Or the people who knew the approach DePo and Sashi were bringing couldn't possibly work because they weren't 'football' guys.
It also probably doesn't hurt that last year DePo recommended Stefanski. Jimmy and Dorsey passed on that recommendation and netted us a 6-10 year under Kitchens.
He recommends Stefanski a second time and where again are we? 10 wins... in the driver's seat to make the playoffs... maybe even a shot at Division Champs... a distinct and sustainable culture shift... and Ski in the running for Coach of the Year??
I get the sour grapes and not wanting to give DePo more credit than you think he deserves. That's fine. But are you at least willing to cede that maybe what DePo has tried to bring to this franchise over the last few years has some legitimacy?
"Hey, I'm a reasonable guy. But I've just experienced some very unreasonable things." -Jack Burton
-It looks like the Harvard Boys know what they are doing after all.
![[Linked Image from i28.photobucket.com]](http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c201/shadedog/mcenroe2.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](http://www.dawgtalkers.net/uploads/small-gator-chomp.gif)
