How Have Cleveland Browns Fared Under Kevin Stefanski Following a Bye Week?

Cleveland will have their hands full with the 5-0 49ers coming to town on Sunday

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has largely been considered the gold standard when it comes to preparing a team to play off of a bye week. The two-time Super Bowl winning head coach has a record of 27-4, including postseason victories, following a week off.

Ironically, Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is a Philadelphia native and has plenty of familiarity with Reid's tactics from his days as the Eagles head coach from 1999-2012.

Sep 18, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium / © Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

It would be recklessly unfair to even try to compare Stefanski's post-bye week results to Reid's. In just his third year as a head coach, Stefanski clearly has a long way to go to even come close to Reid's mastery. With the Browns set to return to action following a Week Five bye, it's worth noting that through three seasons at the helm in Cleveland, Stefanski is 2-1 following off of the bye. 

The 41-year-old head coach earned his first bye week win in his first season in charge of the Browns. Coming off of a Week Nine bye and led by Baker Mayfield, Cleveland out-dueled its current starting quarterback Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans in a 10-7 slog. That win marked the start of a four-game win streak for the Browns that year and a 6-2 finish to the 2020 campaign, which paved the way for its first playoff berth in 18 years.

One year later, following a Week 12 bye, the Browns watched Mayfield – nursing that infamous non-throwing shoulder injury – build a 24-6 lead over the Baltimore Ravens at halftime with two touchdown passes. Former MVP Lamar Jackson actually exited the game early on, as Tyler Huntley took over and led the Ravens on a fierce comeback that fell just short, 24-22.

Stefanski's post-bye undefeated streak came to an end in 2022, as the Browns looked completely outclassed by the Miami Dolphins 39-17 in Week 10, with the defense yielded nearly 500 yards of total offense to Miami. 

Retracing Stefanski's coaching labyrinth back to his Minnesota Vikings days, in his one year as offensive coordinator in 2019, the Vikings lost a 37-30, Monday Night football shootout coming off its bye week, to the Seattle Seahawks. 

The extra week of preparation could have come at the perfect time for Cleveland this year. With the juggernaut San Francisco 49ers coming to town, fresh off of a blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, Week Six may be Stefanski's biggest post-bye challengeto date.