Kevin Stefanski’s time as the Cleveland Browns head coach has come to an end after six seasons. The Browns announced they had fired the 43-year-old in a statement released Jan. 5.

‘We have tremendous gratitude for Kevin’s leadership of the Cleveland Browns over the last six seasons,’ the statement from Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam read. ‘He is a good football coach and an even better person. We appreciate all his hard work and dedication to our organization but our results over the last two seasons have not been satisfactory, and we believe a change at the head coaching position is necessary. We wish Kevin, Michelle and the Stefanski family all the best in the future.’

Stefanski posted a 45-56 record across 101 games with the Browns, but he twice earned the NFL’s Coach of the Year award. The first came in 2020, when he led Baker Mayfield to his best season with the Browns and helped Cleveland win its first playoff game since 1994; the second came in 2023 when the Browns went 11-6 while starting five different quarterbacks and had Joe Flacco blossom into the NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

While Stefanski oversaw one of the modern Browns’ most successful eras, the team sputtered to just a 8-26 record over his final two seasons in charge. That, plus the team’s bottom-ranked offense, was enough for Cleveland to seek greener pastures as it looks to answer its quarterback question: Will Shedeur Sanders be the solution, or will the team’s next head coach have other ideas?

Stefanski won’t be easy to replace, especially amid a coaching cycle many pundits have labeled lackluster. Nonetheless, there are some quality candidates who could offer the Browns an organizational reset, with a handful of particularly strong defensive-minded candidates standing out as potential options for Cleveland.

Here’s a look at the Browns’ best options to replace Stefanski during the 2026 NFL offseason.

Browns coaching candidates: 6 replacements for Kevin Stefanski

Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator

Flores is due for another shot as an NFL head coach. He went 24-25 across three seasons with the Dolphins from 2019-21 and led Miami to back-to-back winning seasons before being fired.

Since then, Flores has established himself as one of the NFL’s best defensive coordinator. He quickly turned the Vikings from a league-worst unit in 2022 to one of the league’s best by 2025. The Vikings ranked first in pressure rate (41.4%) and seventh in defensive EPA per play under the 44-year-old’s tutelage, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, and it’s fun to imagine the success he could enjoy with Cleveland’s Myles Garrett-led defense.

Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator

Joseph is another strong retread option. The 53-year-old posted an 11-21 record across two seasons with the Broncos from 2017-18, but like Flores, he has established himself as one of the NFL’s best defensive minds in recent seasons.

Joseph led the Broncos to top-10 defensive finishes in each of the last two seasons while working with Sean Payton. This year, Denver ranks No. 2 overall in pressure rate and generated a league-high 68 sacks while allowing just 19 points per game (third-fewest in the NFL) for the season.

Jeff Hafley, Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator

If the Browns want an up-and-comer on defense, Hafley could drawn consideration. The 46-year-old took over the Packers defense from Joe Barry ahead of the 2024 NFL season and instantly turned it into a top-five scoring unit.

Hafley has ties to the Browns, serving as the team’s defensive backs coach during the 2014-15 seasons under Mike Pettine. That, his head coaching experience at Boston College and his ability to seamlessly integrate Micah Parsons into Green Bay’s defense on eve of the 2025 season should be enough to at least draw Hafley an interview in Cleveland.

Mike McCarthy, former Dallas Cowboys head coach

Stefanski has been the Browns’ most successful coach of the 21st century. Moving on from him won’t be easy, but landing a guy like McCarthy – who has a proven track record and a 174-122-2 career record as a coach – could soften the blow.

McCarthy has earned double-digit wins in 11 of his 18 seasons as an NFL coach and won Super Bowl 45 while with the Green Bay Packers. He spent 2025 out of the NFL after parting with the Dallas Cowboys but the 62-year-old could be a safe, high-floor hire for the Browns, even if his 11-11 playoff track record leaves a bit to be desired.

Todd Monken, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator

Poaching Monken from the Ravens could be a solid move for the Browns. Lamar Jackson was an All-Pro in each of his first two seasons in Monken’s vertical passing attack, and the 59-year-old could employ a similar system to jumpstart a Cleveland offense that ranked dead-last in offensive EPA per play in 2025, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.

Monken was the Browns’ offensive coordinator in 2019, the team’s lone full season under Freddie Kitchens’ tutelage. The team ranked just 22nd in points and yards per game, but Nick Chubb enjoyed a Pro Bowl-caliber season while both Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. had 1,000-yard seasons.

The Browns may look back at that production more fondly, especially given Monken’s recent track record. That could lead Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry to give the experienced assistant an interview.

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator

Brady is just 36 years old but may soon land a head coaching job. He spent the last 2 1/2 seasons as Buffalo’s offensive coordinator and has led the Bills to top-10 finishes in points and yards per game across each of his seasons with the team.

Brady helped Joe Burrow turn in a historic season at LSU and oversaw Josh Allen’s NFL MVP campaign in 2024. His ability to help develop top-tier quarterbacks should pique the interest of numerous NFL teams, and Cleveland – which has one of the more uncertain quarterback situations in the league – should be among them.

Groundhog Day may still be a month away, but in baseball free agency, groundhog day has been going on for the past 64 days.

Virtually every day is the same.

Rumors are floated. Teams check in. Teams check out.

And most of the top free agents still remain unsigned.

Spring training starts in less than seven weeks, and the likes of Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman and Framber Valdez still remain unemployed.

It’s a market that gobbled up all of the top relievers in a hurry, with every available free agent closer, from Edwin Diaz (Los Angeles Dodgers) to Devin Williams (New York Mets) to Robert Suarez (Atlanta), signing in the first five weeks. The biggest sluggers signed and got their big paydays with Pete Alonso getting $155 million from the Baltimore Orioles and Kyle Schwarber returning to the Philadelphia Phillies for $150 million.

But top free-agent starters outside Dylan Cease ($210 million) haven’t signed yet and there’s countless others looking for jobs, or at least contract offers to their satisfaction.

So, what in the world is taking so long in this slow-drip of a free agency?

No one is blaming the upcoming labor negotiations with a potential lockout in December, and no one hints at collusion.

So what is it?

“The key word is methodical,’ one agent said. “I just don’t see any urgency.’

USA TODAY Sports canvased a handful of executives and agents who came up with the top five reasons for the slow free-agent pace:

1. Big-market teams – besides Blue Jays – yet to swim deep in free agency

The Blue Jays have spent $337 million this winter in free agency, signing four of the 15 free agents who have received contract of at least $30 million. Even after signing infielder Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million contract, with a formal press conference scheduled Tuesday, they still want to add another power hitter. Their preference is to make Okamoto a super utility player.

The Blue Jays remain fully engaged in talks with infielders Bo Bichette and Alex Bregman, with outfielder Kyle Tucker also remaining a possibility.

While the Blue Jays are trying to be the Dodgers of the North, their competitors in the AL East – except the Orioles – are standing back in awe.

The New York Yankees have spent $29 million. The Boston Red Sox, who remain the favorite for Bregman, have been active on the trade market, but haven’t spent a penny in free agency.

There are 21 teams who still have spent less than $60 million this winter, including big-market teams like the Chicago Cubs, Red Sox, Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels.

“Major markets are waiting for another market in the same market,’ another agent said. “When you do that, you lose.’

2. Teams exploring trades before spending big on free agents

The Miami Marlins are listening to trade offers for starter Edward Cabrera, with the Yankees, Mets, Cubs and Orioles all still showing interest.

The Milwaukee Brewers still are listening on offers for ace Freddy Peralta.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have been aggressively shopping but now are pessimistic about trading All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte. No one has come close to meeting their price.

And if Marte is still aboard, Bregman is definitely out of the D-backs’ plans.

The St. Louis Cardinals are aggressively shopping infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan and third baseman Nolan Arenado. And the Washington Nationals have been shopping starter MacKenzie Gore and shortstop CJ Abrams.

Teams like the Red Sox have chosen to hit the trade market instead of pushing all of their chips into free agency, landing starters Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo, as well as Willson Contreras.

As long as there’s trade inventory, it slows down the free-agent market.

3. Bullpens took priority

“I’ve never seen anything like it,’’ one veteran GM said. “Relief pitching was everyone’s first priority, it seems like. The rest of the market came to a standstill.’’

You name it, the top relievers all went, and got paid well.

The top nine relievers all were signed before the holidays, earning a combined $292 million:

Diaz: $69 million, three years, Dodgers
Williams: $51 million, three years, Mets
Suarez: $45 million, three years, Atlanta
Tyler Rogers: $37 million, three years, Blue Jays
Ryan Helsley, $28 million, 2 years, Orioles
Emilio Pagan, $20 million, 2 years, Reds
Kyle Finnegan, $19 million, 2 years, Tigers
Pete Fairbanks, $13 million, 1 year, Marlins
Kenley Jansen, $10 million, 1 year, Tigers

4.  Five-tool guys are way away from a deal

Schwarber received a five-year, $150 million from Phillies, but he was in such demand, that even the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds were in serious pursuit, with the Reds even willing to offer more until Schwarber told them it wasn’t necessary.

Meanwhile, Tucker, Cody Bellinger, Bregman and Bichette all remain unsigned, with no indication that any of them are close to a deal.

“It’s been such an abnormality than years’ past,’ one executive said.

While the Red Sox are the favorites to bring back Bregman, and the Yankees’ No. 1 priority is the return of Bellinger, the Mets are still looming in the Bellinger derby while the Cubs remain in pursuit of Bregman for the second consecutive winter.

The Tucker market is the biggest mystery. He was projected to earn a contract in the $400 million neighborhood but could have to instead take a higher AAV on a short-term contract and hit the market again after two consecutive injury-plagued second halves.

“The major markets,’ one agent said, “are still power dry.’

5. This may be the new normal

Really, the advent of free agency should be in January, and not in November for the stars of the game.

Everyone always waits for free agents’ price tags to plummet, or at least for the years to drop, and nothing ever seems to get done until close to spring training training, or even in March.

Bryce Harper and Manny Machado were the two biggest stars in the winter of 2019, and had to wait until after spring training before they got the deals they desired, with Harper signing a 13-year, $330 million deal with the Phillies and Machado a 10-year, $300 million contract with the Padres.

Bregman didn’t sign his three-year, $120 million contract with the Red Sox until spring training last year, in which he opted out, and now waits for a five- or six-year contract.

Players have learned to be patient, knowing at some point some team will blink.

“In my opinion, executives really struggle as far as decision-making now,’ one agent said. “They just collect so much more information, and then figure out how to utilize it.’

So now that the holidays are over, and everyone is back to work, will the free-agent floodgates now open?

Not so fast.

This is salary arbitration week with teams and players exchanging salary arbitration numbers on Thursday, which will consume most of their time.

Maybe next week.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

Falcons owner Arthur Blank fired head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot Sunday
The firings come after the team missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season, Morris’s second in Atlanta.
Blank’s decision reflects his growing impatience and the desire for a quick turnaround like other NFL teams have seen.

Run it back.

It’s too bad that doesn’t mean Raheem Morris will get a shot at a third season as the Atlanta Falcons head coach. Never mind the momentum of a four-game winning streak to close the season. Or that two years hardly seems like enough time in this case.

Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot, on his post since 2021, were issued their pink slips from team owner Arthur Blank shortly after a 19-17 victory against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday sent, gulp, the Carolina Panthers to the NFC playoffs.

Run it back?

In this case, it means Blank and the Falcons will embark on yet another search for a new head coach. Once again, they will beat the bushes, burn the phone lines and fire up the private jet in search of some coaching (and GM) magic.

Maybe the Falcons should give out T-shirts to mark the occasion that read: Been there, done that.

It is so clear that Blank, 83, is running thin on patience as his football team just ripped off an eighth consecutive season of missing the playoffs. Blank gave his last coach, Arthur Smith, four years. Before that, Dan Quinn had more than five years. Now Morris is two-and-out.

In one sense, it’s understandable that Blank would make a move. Like the Falcons fan base, Blank sees rookie coaches like Liam Coen and Ben Johnson win division titles with the Bucs and Bears, respectively, in their first seasons at the helm and realizes that in this day and age in the parity-influenced NFL, a quick turnaround is indeed possible.

He sees Mike Vrabel return to New England and change the culture ASAP. He sees Mike Macdonald, in Year 2 on his first job, and Sean Payton, in Year 3 on his second job, earn No. 1 seeds in the playoffs with their rebuilt programs.

And he has to wonder: Why can’t we get one of those guys?

Falcons blowing things up faster than they can rebuild

Sure, every circumstance is different and Morris has had some good moments (mixed with the bad) in putting up back-to-back 8-9 finishes. I’m guessing that if he had been given another year, they would have been better?

It’s striking that as the news of Morris’ ouster broke on Sunday night, the Steelers and Ravens were engaged in a win-or-go-home clash for the AFC North title, led by the two longest-tenured NFL coaches with the same team. Mike Tomlin is in his 19th season in Pittsburgh; John Harbaugh is in his 18th season in Baltimore.

Tomlin, for sure, was in no danger of getting fired if the Steelers blew the once-seemingly insurmountable division lead and missed the playoffs. When fans chanted “Fire Tom-lin! Fire Tom-lin!” during an embarrassing loss against Buffalo in late November, the response from the team, according to media, was that if Tomlin didn’t return for a 20th season, it would be his call.

It reminds me of a chat I had with Steelers owner Art Rooney II, tapping into the philosophy that has resulted in just three head coaches since 1969 – Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Tomlin. Like his father, Dan, Art is not one to blow it up after a down year or in response to outside noise. Blowing it up means starting over.

The alternative is to make key changes in key positions among assistant coaches and players, and retool from there. You can argue that the Steelers can freshen that approach, given that they haven’t won a playoff game since 2016 and haven’t been to a Super Bowl in 15 years. Then again, another argument is that they have never had even a single losing season under Tomlin and more often than not are at least in the hunt to compete.  

The Falcons, on the other hand, tend to blow it up. And this time it goes beyond the coach. Fontenot has acquired some prime talent, including dynamic running back Bijan Robinson, big-play receiver Drake London and the rookie edge rushers, James Pierce and Jalon Walker.

But the GM apparently also drove the pursuit to sign QB Kirk Cousins as a free agent in 2024 – which cost a guaranteed $100 million, weeks before drafting Michael Penix, Jr. with a first-round pick.

Obtaining Cousins wasn’t the bad move, even as he came off a torn Achilles tendon and even if they were targeting Penix. It was the cost, and for an aging player coming off a torn Achilles. The price for Cousins was the drag on the salary cap that prevented the Falcons from pursuing other talent.

The speculation about Fontenot’s status only intensified with a Sports Illustrated report revealing that Blank hired a consulting firm, Sportology, to look into the operation of the Falcons, among other Blank sports entities. That’s not a good sign. And ironically, one of the board members for the firm, former Texans GM Rick Smith, was one of the candidates on the short list the last time Blank sought a GM.

There was also a report by Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer that the Falcons are talking about bringing back former NFL MVP Matt Ryan for a significant front office role.

No, the status quo – and especially another playoff run at home – won’t cut it.

With another search launched, Blank, who will meet with media on Thursday in Atlanta, might have a would-have, could-have, should-have mood about now.

The last time he sought to hire a head coach, Bill Belihick wasn’t the only candidate that Blank interviewed before settling on Morris.

Blank also interviewed Macdonald, Vrabel and Jim Harbaugh. And look at them now. They’re all headed to the playoffs while Blank is running it back.

Maybe they’ll get it right this time. Finally. Then again, given the track record, maybe not.

Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell

While it was a disappointing tournament for the host Americans, the 2026 world juniors have been a thrill ride for any hockey fan tuning in. Team USA was bounced in the quarterfinal by Finland – in overtime, no less – but the semifinals produced two beguiling games.

Sweden punched its ticket to the gold-medal game by besting archrival Finland in a shootout, while the Canadians and Czechs added another chapter to their burgeoning rivalry with a nasty back-and-forth game eventually won 6-4 by the Czechs.

It has been more than a decade since any country other than Canada, Finland or the U.S. has won gold at the world juniors and that streak now officially ends. With Sweden (2012) and Czechia (2001) both looking for a title after many years, the final game of the tournament promises to hold intrigue.

But what about the players themselves? There have been some fantastic individual performances in the tournament, so let’s take a look at some of the standouts.

Zayne Parekh, D, Canada

Loaned out by the Calgary Flames for the world juniors, Parekh has shown why Canada wanted him for the tournament. Despite being a defenseman, Parekh entered the bronze-medal game tied for the tourney lead in scoring with 11 points in six games.

Anton Frondell, C, Sweden

The Chicago Blackhawks first-rounder has been a monster for the Swedes and perhaps his most important goal to date came in the semifinal against Finland when he iced the contest with the winning shootout goal. Frondell’s shot is a weapon and it has been on full display.

Will Zellers, LW, USA

Though the Americans were much weaker than in previous years, Zellers was a very pleasant surprise. The University of North Dakota winger and Boston Bruins pick led the U.S. in scoring with eight points in five games while playing an electric style.

Tomas Galvas, D, Czechia

Now the highest-scoring defenseman in Czech world junior history, Galvas continues to add to his totals. Undrafted because of his small stature, he plays a similar game to Lane Hutson and could very well be selected in this summer’s draft. Why not take a chance, right?

Tomas Chrenko, C, Slovakia

Slovakia brought a young team to Minnesota and one of the best was 2026 draft prospect Chrenko, whose awesome shot propelled him up the scoring charts. His five goals in five games paced his team and he certainly helped his draft stock.

Gavin McKenna, LW, Canada

Heavily scrutinized thanks to his top-prospect status, McKenna nonetheless has been one of the top scorers at the world juniors with 10 points in six games. The potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft got in trouble in the Czech game due to some fiery behavior.

Michael Hage, C, Canada

Another top scorer in the tournament, Hage is a Montreal Canadiens first-rounder and a star at the University of Michigan. He made a ton of skilled plays for Canada and his chemistry with McKenna and Brady Martin (Nashville Predators) was something to see.

Jack Berglund, C, Sweden

The captain of the Swedes, Berglund is a two-way center and a Philadelphia Flyers prospect who has made an impact at both ends of the ice for his team. Should Sweden win gold, Berglund undoubtedly will be part of the winning formula.

Joona Saarelainen, C, Finland

A speedster with skill, Saarelainen is a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect who plays back home in Finland in the top pro league. He was very involved in Finland’s offense against Sweden and is one to watch in the bronze-medal game against Canada.

Viggo Bjorck, RW, Sweden

A first-round draft prospect for 2026, Bjorck is fast and skilled. He is clearly trusted by Sweden’s coaches too, as they sent him over the boards every other shift in overtime against Finland, where he had an amazing four breakaways. While he couldn’t convert, he’s a talent.

Verizon has just the ticket for sports fans: freebies to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Bowl.

This fall, as FIFA initiated the ticket draw for matches at the World Cup, which begins June 11, 2026 in Mexico City and ends July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Verizon began giving away ‘thousands of free tickets to the games’ and hundreds of ‘Golden Tickets’ for pitchside viewing.

In Verizon’s third phase of its FIFA Ultimate Access promotion, from Wednesday, Jan. 7 to Sunday, Jan. 11, customers get a chance to get free tickets – including pairs of tickets to all group stage matches in every U.S. city.

Prefer U.S. football? Verizon will give customers a chance to win Super Bowl tickets, chances to meet players and a VIP on-field experience, plus travel and accommodations, as part of its Super Bowl LX sweepstakes, which runs Friday, Jan. 9, to Sunday, Jan. 18.

Only Verizon customers are eligible; the provider is using its sport connections – Verizon is the official telecommunication services sponsor for both events – to drive defections from the competition.

How to win FIFA World Cup tickets from Verizon

Connect to Verizon Access, the loyalty program that gives customers tickets to events and access to experiences, by going to the myAccess section of the My Verizon app or the Verizon Access portal on the web at 3 p.m. ET daily starting Wednesday, Jan. 7 to Sunday, Jan. 11. It’s there that Verizon will drop hundreds of FIFA tickets.

Have a specific game or venue want to win tickets for? You can choose from any group stage game. See the schedule here.

How to win Super Bowl LX tickets from Verizon

Go to myAccess section of the My Verizon app or the Verizon Access portal on the web to enter the Super Bowl LX experience sweepstakes starting Friday, Jan. 9, to Sunday, Jan. 18. Verizon customers can also attempt to claim pairs of game-day tickets on a first-come, first-serve basis from Friday, Jan. 9, to Sunday, Jan. 11 at 4 p.m. ET each day.

In an new commercial, actor Kevin Hart urges a sad sack football team to ‘tap that app’ for a chance to win tickets and possibly get an experience handing out towels to the winning team.

Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at  mikegsnider  &  @mikegsnider.bsky.social  &  @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.