Mike Zimmer, Kevin Stefanski, and Precarious Coaching Situations

Nov 28, 2021; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski looks down the field during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

If you talk to Cleveland Browns fans, they’ll likely have a quibble or two when it comes to Kevin Stefanski. Minnesota fans may have more than a quibble or two when it comes to Mike Zimmer.

Following his impressive stint at Minnesota’s offensive coordinator, Stefanski was brought into Cleveland to replace Freddie Kitchens. Stefanski had been in the running before the 2019 season, but Cleveland’s decision-makers foolishly hired Kitchens. They fixed that mistake by opting for Stefanski before the 2020 season.

The soft-spoken coach led the Browns to an 11-5 record and playoff appearance. Heck, they even beat the Steelers in the opening round with a 48-37 score. They then fell to the Chiefs, but the final score was 22-17. It’s a disappointing end, and yet Cleveland fans must have felt like they won the Super Bowl.

Fast forward to 2021 and things aren’t quite as optimistic for Kevin Stefanski and the Browns. They’re a modest 6-6; writers and fans have concerns about Stefanski’s coaching decisions. Things aren’t as dire as they are in Minnesota, but Stefanski’s struggles have me thinking about Mike Zimmer and the pressures of being a head coach in the NFL.

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Kevin Stefanski and Cleveland’s Coaching Concerns

A few moments perusing the internet’s Cleveland Browns sites leaves one with the impression that writers and fans are quickly leaving the honeymoon stage behind. Stefanski is now feeling the criticism that comes when a squad fails to live up to expectations.

Randi Gurzi of Dawg Pound Daily addresses fan concerns about the play calling:

In recent weeks, there have been several attacks from the fan base aimed at head coach Kevin Stefanski. The same head coach who led the Browns to their first winning season since 2007 in just his first year as an NFL coach. The same head coach who won the league’s coach of the year award in that same rookie campaign. Despite the success he had in year one, fans are already growing tired of Stefanski as the offense has been inept as of late. They’re also tired of hearing him say “I have to do a better job” as if he’s supposed to instead go into some long breakdown of what the team is planning to do during the week to prepare for the next game.

Chris Pokorny of Dawgs By Nature expresses concern about the offense’s approach, calling for more screens, end arounds, and to get away from the spread offense. Pat Opperman of Browns Nation discusses the possibility of featuring both Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb on offense. I imagine the curious Google-savant could find numerous other examples.

As some of you know, I think The Athletic is the gold standard for sports journalism. I therefore reached out to Zac Jackson, their Cleveland Browns writer, for insight. I asked him about the fans’ collective frustration with Kevin Stefanski, whether it is justified, and if he has done a good job coaching. Here is his response:

Yes, fans are frustrated. The Browns have been inconsistent in most areas and wholly disappointing. I feel like Stefanski has been a source of frustration for a couple reasons. 1, it appears that Baker Mayfield has been too injured to succeed but Stefanski continues to play him. 2, last year’s Browns were always prepared and sharp. This year’s team was leading the league in pre-snap penalties at one point recently and the offense just doesn’t look the same or scare anyone. That’s probably because the quarterback and passing game have been awful, yet Stefanski keeps playing Mayfield and keeps saying the Browns will get things fixed.

I followed up this response with a simple, straightforward question: is there any sense at all that the Browns could move on from Stefanski? He provided a simple, straightforward answer: “No.”

Fan concerns are legitimate. The Browns have fallen short of expectations. As Vikings fans know, expectations are a tricky thing. Once people start hoping for something to actually happen, the poor performances lead to a much stronger response. There was a time when merely going 6-10 – as Freddie Kitchens did – would have been a success (just think of the Hue Jackson era), but that’s not where this team is at. The Cleveland roster has legit talent, so they ought to be performing better than they currently are.

Baker Mayfield’s injury, of course, is a major reason why the offense has struggled. Perhaps he got healthier over the bye and will be able to turn his (and the team’s) season around. Part of what’s been so peculiar about the Mayfield injury is that his backup is Case Keenum, the author of the Minneapolis Miracle. Keenum, of course, may have lost a step, and yet it’s strange that someone who teammates love to rally around hasn’t replaced the injured Mayfield. If anyone knows how to use the veteran journeyman, it’s Stefanski.

The scrutiny that comes with being the head coach of a team with expectations makes one question these decisions. Kevin Stefanski, a great coach, is therefore needing to address these criticisms as he tries to get his team back on track.

Similar to his former pupil, Mike Zimmer is dealing with his own issues in Minnesota.

Minnesota’s Coaching Situation

Not altogether unlike the Browns, the Vikings find themselves in a less-than-ideal scenario. At 5-7, it’s a near certainty that this team won’t be winning the Super Bowl. Even worse, it’s a long shot that they’ll even get into the postseason. The end result is repeated calls for Mike Zimmer to be replaced as the head coach of the Vikings.

Earlier today, I had a phone interview with Jeff Diamond, a former GM of the Minnesota Vikings. Given his past experience, Diamond has unique insight into the conversations happening behind closed doors. One of my main questions rested in better understanding what Rick Spielman and the Wilfs are talking about at this stage when it comes to Zimmer’s job security (or lack thereof).

I began by asking if it was premature to move on from Zimmer: “Yeah, definitely. I think that, first of all, I think the team, the players are playing hard. When I judged a coach, I judged what kind of effort the players are giving, what kind of respect they have for the coach.” “I think all those things,” Diamond went on to explain, “are positive with Zim.”

He goes on to highlight how the Vikings could, in theory, still go on a run and make the playoffs; now isn’t the time to choose a new direction for the franchise. He’s exactly right. Now isn’t the time for a new team direction, though some would argue that hiring an interim head coach is about trying to salvage this season rather than making a decision about future seasons. Diamond doesn’t agree with this perspective. He was clear that he didn’t agree that an interim coach is the way to go: “I think their best chance to be successful is with the current coaching staff.”

One thing that was apparent in my conversation with Diamond was that NFL executives understand things very differently from fans. Most Vikings fans would trade Zim for a bag of footballs; Diamond contends that he gives Minnesota the best chance to get into the playoffs.

Before ending the interview, I asked about what kind of conversations are happening behind closed doors. Following a loss like the last one, are the Wilfs having tense meetings with Rick Spielman? I was once again reminded that an NFL executive has a different perspective from your average guy or gal: “I honestly don’t think there are a lot of conversations right now. Certainly, they talk from time to time, but Rick is busy with his college scouting, his college season, he’s on the move.” He then said that “a lot of those conversations will really not happen until the last couple weeks of the season” and that “the serious conversations about the direction of the franchise are not going to take place until later in the season.” In other words, there’s a pretty good chance Zim sticks around the rest of the way.

When Stefanski went to the Browns, many fans bemoaned how the Vikings were again losing a talented offensive coordinator. Making matters worse is that he is still so young. If he wants to, Stefanski can continue coaching for several more decades. Currently, that means coaching the Browns. Things aren’t great right now, but the dream of Stefanski possibly coming back to Minnesota is precisely that: a dream. Expect him to remain in Cleveland for at least the 2022 season.

Neither the Browns nor the Vikings are in the position they hoped to be in. Both teams had high expectations coming into the season; both head coaches have had to navigate difficult criticisms. As much as it will discourage some fans, Mike Zimmer is likely to remain in charge in Minnesota. An unlikely trip to the playoffs might even be enough for him to stick around for 2022.

Editor’s Note: Purple PTSD extends a sincere thanks to Zac Jackson and Jeff Diamond. Follow Mr. Jackson and Mr. Diamond on Twitter so you don’t miss any of their future work.

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