New Report Sheds Light on Deshaun Watson-Kevin Stefanski Browns Feud

After being the most disappointing team in the NFL in the 2024 season, there has been a ton of introspection within the organization. The only silver lining from the 3-14 campaign was securing the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The disastrous performance means that there will be significant changes in the offseason. It looks like head coach Kevin Stefanski will retain his position but offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey has already been replaced by Tommy Rees.

The next inevitable change will be at quarterback. Deshaun Watson suffering another Achilles injury jeopardizes his availability to start the 2025 season, so that decision has been made for the Browns.

The most recent report by Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, however, reveals that Watson likely doesn't have much of a future left in Cleveland.

In his reporting, Lloyd said that Watson intentionally and actively failed to embrace Stefanski's system. While Stefanski wanted to deploy the wide zone, play-action scheme of Gary Kubiak and Mike Shanahan, Watson refused to fit in. Instead, he wanted the entire offensive system to cater to him.

"But after he arrived in Cleveland, Watson never embraced Stefanski’s system. He wanted to be in shotgun, and Stefanski wanted him under center to make the play-action component more effective."

- Jason Lloyd, The Athletic

It was painfully obvious from the start that Watson wasn't the same quarterback he was earlier in his career. He wasn't a good enough signal-caller to justify giving up your entire offensive scheme to fit around him.

Even the hiring of Ken Dorsey as the offensive coordinator was an attempt to make Watson feel more comfortable and have more freedom. That failed miserably this season as the Browns offense completely tanked.

This report further proves what Browns fans already knew. It is a damning indictment of Watson and all the problems he has caused in this organization. It is difficult to see the relationship between Stefanski and the polarizing QB surviving this, signaling the end of the Watson era in Cleveland.

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