Browns

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam spoke to reporters on Monday to explain his decision to move on from two-time Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski while also keeping GM Andrew Berry.

“I don’t think there was one breaking point,” Haslam said, via Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. “I think you’ve got to look at the body of work, and sometimes it’s just time for a change, and we felt like it was time for a change.”

“It’s easy for me to say yes,” he said when asked if he thought the roster was good enough to win more games. “So yeah, I think it was good enough to win more games.” 

Haslam did admit it was a difficult change to make, given Stefanski’s contributions to Cleveland, snapping a two-decade postseason drought and easily becoming the team’s most successful head coach since it returned to the city. 

“This was as difficult as any we’ve ever had to make because of the quality of the person involved,” he said. “Organized, worked hard, navigated our ship for six years through the inevitable ups and downs that we face in the NFL. Outstanding father and husband. And I think even you all who are around a lot probably underappreciate how much time we all spend together. There’s nothing more fun than winning an NFL game like we did the last two weeks, beating our archrival Steelers two weeks ago, and then winning yesterday on the last play of the game and seeing the joy in the locker room

“And there’s nothing more distasteful than losing an NFL game. And it’s finite. You either win or you lose. Kevin did a lot of good things here over his time period with us. It was an extremely difficult decision we made. I shouldn’t say I have no doubt, I would be highly optimistic Kevin will be a head coach again in the league.”

• Berry on the firing of Stefanski: “….Kevin’s steady hand led us through the most turbulent part of our strategic pivot and transitional period … the collective underperformance … is something I own.” (Cabot)
• Berry continued: “Ultimately, we felt like we didn’t see enough progress in certain areas we felt were controllable.” (Jackson)
• When asked about coordinators Jim Schwartz and Tommy Rees as potential replacements: “Jim has certainly earned the right to get consideration, but that’s something we still have to discuss…Rees is a very talented young coordinator held in high regard in the NFL and in college football.” (Jackson)
• Berry on possibly losing Schwartz: “One of the costs of turnover is players can get caught in transition in scheme…Ultimately, our thought is let’s find the right head coach, the right leader. We’re very pleased with where that side of the ball (defense) is.” (Grossi)
• On whether the team will move forward with QB Shedeur Sanders: “I think we saw a lot of progress this year, mentally and physically. He’s very much a work in progress. We’re gonna do our work on the quarterback market. I can’t tell you today if the starter in 2026 is internal or external. There’s a lot of work we still need to do on the offense. The offense will have significant investment this year.” (Grossi)
• Berry, when asked about the future of QB Deshaun Watson: “We’re very pleased with how Deshaun attacked his rehab, how he engaged with the team. Right now, we do anticipate him being on the 2026 team, but we have a long way to go.” (Grossi)
• As for the role of CSO Paul DePodesta, Berry told reporters that he doesn’t see it being filled. (Petrak)
• Haslam to the fans following the season: “Ownership takes full responsibility for where we are. 8 wins in two years is horrible, unacceptable, and it’s not gonna continue. We’re gonna give you a better product.” (Jackson)
• Haslam on the firing of Stefanksi: “Sometimes it’s just time for a change, and we think it’s time for a change.” (Jackson)
• Haslam on the state of the franchise: “Some of you have said this is a dysfunctional building. I take huge exception to that…If anybody says this is dysfunctional or the two of them (Berry and Stefanski) didn’t work well (together), that’s dead wrong.” (Jackson)

Ravens

Ravens fifth-round K Tyler Loop was devastated by his missed game-winning field goal at the end of Sunday night’s loss to the Steelers, a kick that would have put Baltimore in the playoffs. 

“For it to end like that sucks, and I want to do better,” Loop said via the Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec. “Unfortunately, the nature of the job is you have makes, and those are awesome, and unfortunately, you have misses. And for that to happen tonight sucks.”

“It was a great situation, exactly what we wanted,” Loop added. “I just mis-hit the ball.”

The locker room was doing its best to pick up Loop after the game and not put everything on his shoulders. It’s the latest tough loss and disappointment for the Ravens, not just in a disappointing 2025 season, but for the last five years as the team has tried and failed to get over the hump. 

“This moment sucks,” Ravens LB Roquan Smith said. “We had the game right there, right there in our grasp, and it slipped away. It’s a tough business. It’s a very unforgiving game, and it’s just what it is. You have to be in touch with reality, and this is our reality right now.

“Personally, I feel like we just didn’t do enough. Just speaking more so on the defensive side of the ball, we didn’t do enough to finish the game, and I think that’s what it boils down to: doing your job over and over and over and not getting complacent with the small things. We did not do that.”

Steelers

• Steelers WR D.K. Metcalf spoke for the first time since his altercation with a fan and would not share any details on what happened, other than to say he was surprised by the outcome of the appeal and watched the final game of the season at Home Alone. (Pryor)
• According to Dianna Russini, the Browns, Giants, Steelers, and Titans all had internal discussions about Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman before he announced he was returning next season.

The post AFC Notes: Andrew Berry, Jimmy Haslam, Tyler Loop, Browns, Ravens, Steelers appeared first on NFLTradeRumors.co.