The Cleveland Browns will enter a new era of football during the 2026 NFL season after making the decision to move on from head coach Kevin Stefanski following the conclusion of the 2025 campaign.
Stefanski, who had been the team’s head coach since the 2020 season, had simply not been able to turn the franchise around. He was able to lead the Browns to two playoff appearances in six years, which wasn’t good enough to keep his job.
With his tenure as the head coach in Cleveland officially over, Stefanski leaves town with a 45-56 overall record.
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Now, the search for a new head coach has begun. The Browns cannot afford to miss on their hire if they want to get back to being a playoff contender at some point in the next few years.
One name who has been brought up as a potential candidate for the job is none other than Colorado’s Deion Sanders. His son, Shedeur Sanders, was the starting quarterback in Cleveland to round out the season.
While it would be a surprise to see the Browns hire Sanders, he has been mentioned multiple times in connection with the job.
Keeping that in mind, Cleveland has received a stern warning about Sanders. Chris Broussard spoke out during an appearance on “First Things First” and made it clear that he believes hiring Sanders would be a mistake.
“I think [Stefanski’s] handling of Shedeur is what doomed him,” Broussard said. “If you hire Deion, you’re committing to Shedeur. And he has not shown me enough to know he’s my next franchise guy.”
Sanders had a rough 2025 college football season at Colorado. After losing both his son and Travis Hunter, it was clear that the Buffaloes were no longer going to be a competitive football team. When all was said and done, Colorado and Sanders finished with a 3-9 record.
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Bringing “Coach Prime” onboard would be entertaining. However, from a football perspective it would be a mistake. The Browns need a head coach who can rebuild the culture and provide a sense of stability.
At this point in time, Sanders cannot be ruled out as a candidate for the job. Cleveland could still consider him as an option. But, if the Browns want to make the right choice, they should look past Sanders.
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