Former Browns WR criticizes Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski

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Mar 24, 2026 - 01:30
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Former Browns WR criticizes Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski

The Atlanta Falcons fired head coach Raheem Morris after the season finale despite guiding the team to a four-game winning streak to finish 8-9 in back-to-back years. Morris, known for his personable demeanor, was replaced by former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Like Morris, Stefanski too was fired following the 2025 season finale. The two-time NFL Coach of the Year winner fell out of favor in Cleveland after six years. Stefanski's 8-26 record over the last two seasons is reflective of a highly dysfunctional organization.

While there has been some debate over how much blame should fall on the former Browns head coach, the speed at which he landed another job suggests those around the league blame the organization more than Stefanski.

However, Stefanski's players haven't exactly defended their former head coach in the wake of his firing. Former Browns Pro Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry criticized Stefanski on two different podcasts. Landry first discussed his former coach with Leonard Fournette on the "4th and South" podcast.

"Being in Cleveland and playing there, he was cool to be around," Landry said of Stefanski before laying into him. "It just almost felt like, as much as he knew what he was doing, he really maybe didn't, right?"

Landry also criticized Stefanski for his inability to connect with players:

"You expect most of these coaches that are younger to be more personable, more relatable with their players, and most cases it just doesn’t work out that way."

That wasn't all, though. Landry had more to say about Stefanski. The veteran wide receiver claimed his former coach secretly passed off play-calling duties to former Browns offensive coordinator and current Falcons quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt, before taking over again after the offense got back on track.

"I know when I was there for 100 percent fact, when we were struggling as an offense, I know Kevin Stefanski himself gave up play-calling to AVP," said Landry. "The same thing he's done -- we have guys that have told us -- throughout the years of not being able to get it done as a play-caller, then putting it off on somebody else. Then the team gets success, and then he takes over play-calling again."

Landry finished off his criticism with a cold assessment of Stefanski's career:

"Only thing he really got going for him is two-time Coach of the Year."

Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield also recently threw some shade at his former coach after Stefanski got hired in Atlanta.

"Still waiting on a text/call from him after I got shipped off like a piece of garbage," said Mayfield. "Can’t wait to see you twice a year, Coach."

It will be interesting to see how the Falcons players respond to their new head coach in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: Kevin Stefanski called out by Jarvis Landry

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