Kevin Stefanski Reflects on the 2023 Season
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski reflects on the 2023 season after the team's Wild Card loss to the Texans on Saturday
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00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:10 Work and to not be playing any more games, that's tough.
00:29 That's hard for our guys and hard for us as coaches.
00:32 So, that's the immediate emotions and first thing you think about when you wake
00:37 up on a day like this and then you also have to step back and express gratitude.
00:42 Because I am extremely grateful for this football team.
00:45 They work like crazy.
00:48 They did everything I asked them to do, really going all the way back to April.
00:53 And they fought for each other.
00:56 I think those are a bunch of guys that care about each other and
01:00 I think you saw that throughout this season.
01:02 And just the things that they went through and kept coming back.
01:06 So I'm really proud of this football team.
01:07 Again, disappointed in how it ended, of course, disappointed when it ends.
01:13 But I don't wanna lose sight of the accomplishments of this football team and
01:17 I give them a ton of credit for that.
01:19 But with that, I'll take any questions.
01:20 >> About kind of the buy in that you had this year,
01:25 everybody sort of pulling the rope in the same direction.
01:31 Whatever cliche you wanna use.
01:34 How difficult is that to replicate?
01:37 Because it's not going to be the same group next year, necessarily.
01:41 How do you try to replicate that?
01:43 >> Yeah, I mean, every year is different.
01:44 As you mentioned, Chris, I mean, the players are always different.
01:47 And that's the NFL.
01:50 It's never the same, ever.
01:52 So you treat each year differently.
01:55 I would tell you the core of this football team,
01:57 the guys that we know are coming back are guys that represent who we are.
02:01 That understand what they need to do on a day to day basis to be great.
02:07 So we're excited about that.
02:09 But bottom line is when you're talking about the locker room, it's the people.
02:13 It is just the people in that locker room and I feel strongly about the people.
02:17 >> Spoken to Sean and rolling it forward a little bit.
02:20 Are you confident he's gonna be ready for the start of the season?
02:23 Can you give us any update whatsoever on his rehab?
02:26 >> Yeah, he's doing great in rehab.
02:27 I'm confident he'll be ready to roll this spring.
02:30 He's chomping at the bit, but he's doing everything he's supposed to do when it
02:35 comes to what the doctors are telling him and as he rehabs through this, but
02:40 he'll be ready to roll.
02:41 >> It might be obvious, but you're going for the off season,
02:44 which is what you're starting for.
02:45 >> Correct.
02:46 [BLANK_AUDIO]
02:50 >> Kevin, the injuries really just caught up to you yesterday.
02:54 >> Yeah, we just didn't play well yesterday.
02:56 We didn't coach well enough, Jeff.
02:58 I know you can point to injuries.
03:00 I think every team could point to injuries, but we didn't do the things you
03:05 have to do to win on the road, pretty simple.
03:07 >> [INAUDIBLE] yesterday.
03:10 What do you think the biggest issues defensively were that you had?
03:16 >> Like we talked about yesterday, I'd give them credit.
03:18 They had some good schemes.
03:20 They got us in some big plays.
03:22 And for big plays to happen, it's typically a miscommunication or
03:27 falling out of your gap or what it might be.
03:29 So it's all little things that as we know, they add up to the big thing.
03:33 >> [INAUDIBLE]
03:37 >> Yeah, I'd leave all those things up to
03:39 obviously Andrew in this off season.
03:42 I will say this about Joe.
03:44 Joe was awesome for this football team.
03:45 He did a great job, battled like crazy.
03:49 I know he enjoyed it.
03:51 We obviously wish yesterday's outcome was different.
03:56 But I have a ton of respect for Joe and what he was able to do.
03:59 >> You'd like to come back?
04:01 >> I think Joe is gonna work through everything this off season,
04:04 as you can imagine.
04:05 But I had a great meeting with Joe, really all these guys.
04:08 He's grateful for the opportunity and
04:12 he'll work through this off season, see where it lands.
04:15 >> Is he a starting quarterback in the NFL still?
04:17 >> He's obviously as you guys saw him, he's talented.
04:20 He won football games for us.
04:21 We had multiple guys that have won football games for us.
04:23 So I believe in all these guys.
04:24 >> [INAUDIBLE]
04:34 >> Yeah, pretty raw not being 24 hours
04:42 removed from yesterday so I think the biggest thing for me, Darrell,
04:45 is just these guys really fought like crazy.
04:50 They really did and it's the makeup of the football team that drives your success.
04:56 And I give Andrew credit for the guys that he brought in to this locker room and
05:01 the caliber of players that he brought in.
05:03 But I'm very appreciative of all those guys.
05:07 >> [INAUDIBLE]
05:12 >> Yeah, I think we're evaluating
05:14 everything right now, Tony.
05:15 The other thing is, some guys will get opportunities over the next couple weeks.
05:20 So we'll see how it all shakes out.
05:22 >> Analyze it first blush, though, how do you account for the disparity and
05:26 how well you guys play it at home versus on the road?
05:29 >> Something to look at, obviously.
05:31 You can easily say crowd noise and that type of thing.
05:36 But those are things that we'll look at.
05:38 Didn't end how we wanted it to, but
05:42 I also know we played really good defense for the majority of the season.
05:46 >> With that disappointing ending to the season,
05:49 how do you hope guys take that into the off season?
05:52 How do you hope they approach it knowing that it didn't end the way you wanted it
05:55 to end that next year?
05:56 >> Yeah, I mean, it's hard, Cam, but
05:58 you're always looking to take a little bit of the previous year with you and
06:03 use it as fuel.
06:05 We're one of the 31 teams that isn't standing at the end and that hurts.
06:09 So you always use that as motivation for the next year.
06:13 >> Action that you did the right thing by wrestling everybody.
06:19 >> Yeah, you just go with the information that's available to you and
06:22 those decisions.
06:23 I obviously didn't get the outcome we desired yesterday, but
06:28 really just trying to do what's best for the football team.
06:31 >> Would you rethink that in the future,
06:32 just given how well you guys plan going- >> Yeah,
06:35 I think it's always dependent on where you are in the future.
06:38 Where are you from a health standpoint?
06:40 Those are the type of things you're always thinking about.
06:41 >> Start and stop with them this year.
06:45 But do you think he had enough time and kind of the tweak system?
06:50 Now you guys have been together for kind of two years that you'll be able to hit
06:53 the ground running.
06:55 >> Yeah, no doubt.
06:55 I mean, four and one is a starter.
06:57 Some really great moments.
07:00 That second half versus Baltimore is something that I don't know how many
07:05 people on earth can do what he did with the injuries that he had in that second half.
07:09 So very excited for him.
07:12 He's excited.
07:13 I know he wants to get back healthy and he's well on his way to doing that.
07:16 >> [INAUDIBLE] It's really hard to create something that
07:21 hasn't been created here in a long, long time.
07:26 How do you replicate that, carry that forward so that continues?
07:29 Because I just felt like that was so instrumental in your success.
07:33 >> Yeah, we're kind of talked a little bit earlier about that.
07:36 It's hard because these teams are different year to year.
07:39 I mean, every single team has turnover.
07:42 That's the NFL.
07:43 So you have core in your culture, you have core things that you believe in
07:49 when it comes to your roster.
07:50 And then there's core guys that are leaders for
07:54 this football team that we'll be counting on.
07:57 >> [INAUDIBLE]
08:04 >> Yeah, without a doubt.
08:05 And I think I don't wanna lose sight of how good we were on defense this season.
08:09 Historic, and I think Coach Schwartz and
08:13 the defensive staff did an outstanding job implementing the system in year one.
08:18 Some really good moments for us and some young players that we're excited about.
08:23 >> You guys gave up 13.9 points per game at home, over 31 on the road.
08:29 We haven't had a differential like that in the NFL 40 years.
08:32 What do you make of it?
08:33 >> So you're gonna have to give me some time.
08:36 I think we gotta pull that apart and look at it.
08:38 I mean, it is something that you have to get to the bottom of, and
08:43 we'll look at it.
08:44 >> Joel Batonia, we saw him in there with a boot on his right ankle.
08:51 You said he's playing a high angle spread yesterday.
08:53 >> He's unbelievable.
08:54 He's unbelievable.
08:55 And that's kind of what I was talking about earlier.
08:57 When you talk about guys fighting for each other,
09:00 he did not have to go back in that game with a high ankle sprain.
09:02 And most people couldn't, and most people wouldn't.
09:06 And he was not gonna let his guys down.
09:09 He battled to the end.
09:10 He'll rest up and heal up.
09:12 And but he's the quintessential teammate.
09:17 That's what we're talking about when you talk about the Cleveland Browns,
09:20 guys that will do anything and everything they can for their teammate.
09:23 >> You do not have many games, you don't have a ton of film
09:30 where Deshaun was the quarterback that you know that he can be.
09:34 So how grateful are you that you do have that Baltimore second half that I think
09:39 maybe showed everybody what he can do and what did he do that day that just
09:43 makes you realize he can be the guy?
09:45 >> Yeah, I think, again, Mary Kay, I think it was three games and
09:49 then was out with the injury and then finally back and then again went out.
09:52 So that was disappointing for Deshaun and
09:56 he was disappointing that he wasn't able to play more than that.
09:59 But to lead his team, to play winning football in those games and
10:06 to play the style that he played and the willing his team to victory there in that
10:11 second half, and then just different moments throughout the season,
10:15 making plays that are hard to coach.
10:18 So I'm excited about him getting healthy and
10:20 we're excited about getting him back here.
10:23 >> Quick follow up, I heard the full time Joe Flacco was here.
10:28 I heard a lot of people just say, he's more your style,
10:31 you like to call plays better for a guy like that,
10:34 pocket passer, play action, all that kind of stuff.
10:37 So what say you about that notion?
10:40 >> Yeah, I don't get caught up in style.
10:43 I get we concern ourselves with winning football.
10:46 And I think you saw multiple quarterbacks and I just I say that with PJ going in
10:51 there and Dorian going in there and it's our job as coaches to adjust to the players
10:56 and the skill sets of the players and the playing style of the players.
11:01 So that's what I think we have to do as coaches, but we're concerned with winning.
11:05 >> I assume you never got the full end product of what you wanted,
11:10 what was in and out.
11:11 So does the final product look anything like Flacco?
11:19 >> One more time.
11:21 >> Yeah, I mean, we're trying to figure out what it's gonna look like when you and
11:26 Watson have extended time.
11:28 >> Yeah, I guess I would go back to,
11:30 there was some really good moments this season.
11:34 It's such a small sample size with Deshaun and
11:38 he had a weather game in there.
11:41 So I think we all know what he's capable of.
11:46 We're excited about the future.
11:47 >> [INAUDIBLE]
11:57 >> Yeah, and I think our guys know that and
12:08 the NFL is set up that way where you see new
12:14 teams in the playoffs every single year.
12:19 So our goal is to win championships.
12:21 That's all 32 clubs, talk about that.
12:26 So when you get back, you start putting the work in to set yourself up for
12:29 those type of things.
12:30 But we know that all of that is earned when you talk about playoffs,
12:35 you talk about putting yourself in position to win championships.
12:38 >> CJ struck operating yesterday,
12:40 you didn't have time to think about this during the game,
12:44 maybe when you watched the film or something.
12:47 Did you have an opportunity to think to yourself, we've got a guy like this over
12:51 here on our sideline that has that kind of arm talent,
12:54 that has that kind of mobility to do these kind of things?
12:57 >> Yeah, well, I'd say this, Mary Kay, he's a very good player,
13:01 very good young player.
13:03 I, again, give them credit for
13:06 what they're able to do, offense, defense, special teams.
13:09 We feel really confident in our guys.
13:12 We feel really confident in the roster that we have that Andrew's put together.
13:16 And DeShawn's a huge part of that.
13:18 >> And this might be a little philosophical, but when they do leave,
13:23 when guys who had an effect end up moving on,
13:26 what do they leave with the team for the next year?
13:30 >> Yeah, it's interesting.
13:31 I was just talking to one of our players about a guy like Malcolm Smith,
13:35 played a couple years for us at linebacker and had a huge impact.
13:39 And maybe didn't show up on the stat sheet all the time, but
13:41 he had a huge impact on that young linebacker room.
13:44 So there's always guys that you wish you could bring back,
13:48 everybody and guys, there's different opportunities, those type of things.
13:52 But you do learn from a lot of veterans that you bring into your program.
13:57 >> Winning the championship and that being the goal,
14:01 I'm sure we know this already, winning the division, playing at home.
14:07 Is that, I mean, it's a reinforced this year.
14:12 >> Yeah, you're right.
14:13 And it's definitely something we talk about, Tony.
14:16 That's on part of, when every team talks about winning the Super Bowl,
14:21 part of getting there is winning your division.
14:22 So that's always gonna be at the forefront of our goals.
14:27 Obviously didn't accomplish that goal this season.
14:30 But yeah, that's priority number one.
14:33 >> A lot of coaches that have come through here,
14:36 coming off through here, especially since 99.
14:39 Do you feel like that with your body of work, especially this season,
14:43 that you're the guy that can get this franchise to where it wants to go going
14:47 forward?
14:48 >> Yeah, as you can imagine, I'm not gonna really get into my role and
14:52 all that, Jake, other than to say we'll put in the work.
14:55 Nice try.
14:57 >> [LAUGH] >> I thought it was pretty good.
14:59 All your conversations with the organization and medical,
15:04 what is the degree of confidence that you're getting from
15:09 the medical team about the Sean being able to come back?
15:14 >> Yeah, he's in great hands with Dr.
15:19 Elitrosh out there in his rehab.
15:24 He's doing great.
15:25 He's on schedule, if not ahead of schedule, so very confident.
15:28 >> When you talk about him being ready in the spring,
15:32 I mean, are they telling you that he's gonna be-
15:35 >> He's telling me that.
15:36 >> [LAUGH] >> We'll update you guys as we get
15:40 closer to there, but he's feeling great.
15:42 He's right on track.
15:43 So I know he'll be ready probably sooner than most,
15:50 just because of how hard he works.
15:52 >> Small sample size of an opportunity with him healthy and
15:56 you guys working well together.
15:57 How much do you feel like you can build on just what you saw him do with you calling
16:04 and working with the shift?
16:05 >> Yeah, again, just going back to each one of those games is so
16:09 different in that small sample size, but DeSean has shown here and
16:15 throughout his career, he's a playmaker.
16:17 He's made a ton of plays for us.
16:19 And that's part of his game that we're so excited about.
16:24 He put it on display.
16:26 So getting him healthy, getting him back in the system and
16:30 those type of things, he's excited about it.
16:32 >> In surgery?
16:33 >> I'm sorry?
16:34 >> Oboe, is he gonna need surgery?
16:35 >> I don't know that.
16:36 >> I'm sure he's gonna have to have it.
16:38 >> I don't have a medical update on, I don't know.
16:41 >> When Alex Dempel need to go back into the lab this spring with
16:48 boxing like you did last year.
16:49 >> I think every spring you have to do that.
16:51 I really do, Tony, because the game is changing.
16:54 The NFL continues to evolve year to year.
16:59 I say this all the time, but you put on tape from 10 years ago,
17:01 it doesn't look the same.
17:04 So you're always trying to stay ahead of the curve as much as you can.
17:07 So yeah, I think all three sides of the ball, you gotta go into the lab.
17:11 >> Couple more, the arsenal of weapons a little bit around Dishon to be more
17:16 explosive.
17:18 >> Yeah, I think that's definitely Andrew's desire to add as many good
17:23 players as you can, Mary Kay.
17:25 But I feel really, really good about the guys on our roster.
17:30 I was, not to go through every guy, but
17:33 really pleased with what these guys were able to accomplish.
17:36 Amari, Dave, Elijah, I think all had career type years.
17:41 And I'm proud of those guys.
17:43 >> Seeing Nick around a lot over the last several weeks.
17:48 How is he progressing?
17:51 What's the prognosis?
17:53 >> I don't have an update other than to say he's doing great.
17:57 He's progressing.
17:58 He's doing everything he's supposed to do, if not more.
18:01 So we'll see how it goes.
18:03 >> And you're talking about guys who have opportunities,
18:06 Kareem Hunt talked to me about potentially an opportunity.
18:09 But obviously this is home.
18:10 >> Yeah.
18:11 >> Did he have more left than you guys thought,
18:14 considering he wasn't with you guys, leave you guys with touchdowns?
18:17 >> Well, I'll say this about Kareem.
18:19 I'm so appreciative of him and the way he played and
18:23 the style with which he played.
18:24 Obviously, pre-injury to Nick, we didn't have a spot.
18:31 But to Kareem's credit, he stayed in great shape.
18:34 We brought him in, worked him out, he looked great.
18:37 Picked back up the system right away and played really good football for us.
18:42 And made plays in high leverage moments and scored touchdowns.
18:46 And obviously yesterday, having the ability to make a playoff in the goal line,
18:51 make a play in the red zone.
18:52 So he provided huge, huge value for us.
18:55 And just he's a battler.
18:59 Love the way he runs, the style with which he runs.
19:03 Gave us a huge jolt that we needed.
19:05 >> Yeah, a couple of weeks ago,
19:10 he started off with 13 sacks and just couldn't be stopped.
19:16 What happened in the last six, seven games with just one sack?
19:22 >> Yeah, I would caution you to judge too much of defensive football off of sacks.
19:28 I think that can be really dangerous just to look at sacks.
19:31 I think pressure is really the thing that you wanna look at and
19:35 affecting the quarterback.
19:36 And with Miles, the other unique thing about him, as you guys know,
19:40 teams do everything in their power to make sure he doesn't make those disruptive plays.
19:46 So he's getting a tight end, he's getting the line is sliding to him,
19:49 they're running away from him, those type of things.
19:51 But if you just look at his impact, and particularly if you wanna use pressure
19:55 rate, I think that's something you can look at.
19:57 But if you look at his impact overall, it was unbelievable.
20:01 >> Basically played 11 games since 2020.
20:05 We've seen him come back off the big layoffs.
20:08 It takes a little while for him to get going again.
20:10 Now he's coming off the surgery to his throwing shoulder.
20:13 So what gives you optimism that he's gonna be able to hit the ground running in
20:17 a conference where you have very little margin for error, so many good teams?
20:21 >> Yeah, I would just tell you, DeSean's been in this system.
20:25 He knows his teammates.
20:27 He'll rehab like he does, he's attacking it already.
20:30 So I just have a ton of confidence in him just based on the work he's put in and
20:34 what I've seen from him.
20:35 Okay, thank you guys, appreciate it.