For the second straight season, Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski is giving up play-calling duties.
Stefanski announced Monday that he is turning the playbook over to offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.
The move comes after the Browns went 2-6 in the first half of the season. Cleveland is preparing to visit the New York Jets (1-7) on Sunday following its bye week.
Last season, the Browns were 1-6 when Stefanski handed play-calling responsibilities to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. After Cleveland finished 3-14, Dorsey was fired.
Rees is in his first season as an NFL offensive coordinator. He held that role at Alabama (2023) and Notre Dame (2020-22) before joining Stefanski’s staff as a pass game specialist and tight ends coach in 2024.
“I think Tommy’s going to be himself, and that’s what I’m asking him to do,” Stefanski said. “I’ll be there every step of the way to help him in any way I can, like you should with any play-caller. But bottom line is, he understands what we need to do, which is to stay on the field and score some points.”
As of Monday, only the Tennessee Titans (244.0) are averaging fewer yards per game this season than the Browns (263.5). Only the Titans (14.4) and New Orleans Saints (15.3) are scoring fewer points than Cleveland (15.8).
In their most recent game, the Browns were outgained 422-213 in a 32-13 road loss to the New England Patriots on Oct. 26.
Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco started the first four games of the season before the Browns handed the reins to rookie Dillon Gabriel, later trading Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals.
