The Pittsburgh Steelers squeaked their way into the postseason once again after beating the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 of the 2025 campaign. It was a tight contest that saw the home club find a way to victory and secure the AFC North division. As their season extends into another week, the teams around the division are struggling. The Cleveland Browns just made a massive move.
The Browns have fired head coach Kevin Stefanski. Stefanski was the top guy in Cleveland since 2020 and secured a playoff victory over the Steelers during the 2020 playoffs. He has more postseason wins than Pittsburgh during that stretch. One thing is for certain: Stefanski has proven he is a quality coach, and the Steelers should take notes.
Moving on from a head coach isn't uncommon in Cleveland, but they rarely have good people in that chair.
Mike Tomlin remains the pinnacle of mediocrity heading into another postseason battle this week, where his team is the underdog. If the Browns are willing to fire Kevin Stefanski, Pittsburgh should be open to parting ways with its head coach as well. Unless they make a run in the playoffs, it's time to move on from Tomlin.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could move on from Mike Tomlin after the Cleveland Browns decided to fire Kevin Stefanski
Other than winning a playoff game in the past six years, Stefanski has been one of the better head coaches in football. He has worked with lesser talent with the Browns and found ways for that organization to compete. Tomlin, on the other hand, has not won a playoff game since 2017 and continues to sell the idea that the team can compete for a Super Bowl every year.
Cleveland has suffered back-to-back losing seasons, but it shows the Steelers that no matter how accomplished a coach may be, a team can still choose to move on.
One of the most surprising aspects of Stefanski’s tenure in Cleveland is that he has won two Coach of the Year awards since 2020, yet is now without a job. He is likely to draw significant interest this offseason, as many around the league expect him to secure another head-coaching position.
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Much of the future surrounding Tomlin and Pittsburgh will hinge on how this postseason transpires. If they fall to another one-and-done scenario, the Steelers might have to have some tough conversations. Don't expect Tomlin to be fired, but there could be a 'mutual parting of ways' between the franchise and their long-time head coach.
The Browns' firing of Stefanski shows that they should feel confident in moving on if needed.
If you ask people around the NFL if Tomlin or Stefanski is the better coach, many will likely claim the Steelers director as the top dog. With that said, you cannot discount the many accomplishments that Cleveland's newly fired coach had over Tomlin over the past six years.
Another failure in the playoff department could spell doom for Tomlin and the Steelers, and their AFC North rival showed that there's a time to move on from quality coaches.