The coaching carousel continues to turn. Hours after the Giants announced they had officially hired former Ravens HC John Harbaugh — a connection that had been building all week — the Atlanta Falcons announced they had officially hired former Browns HC Kevin Stefanski on Saturday night.
Stefanski is the two-time winner of the AP Coach of the Year award in Cleveland and one of the top coaching candidates in this year’s cycle. In six years with the Browns, he went 45-56 with two playoff appearances and one playoff win. He routinely overcame stacked odds to overachieve with a strong defense and hamstrung offense burdened by the Deshaun Watson contract.
Now, in Atlanta, he’ll have the chance for a fresh start. Before his time as the head coach of the Browns, Stefanski was the offensive coordinator for the Vikings. He’s considered one of the best CEO-type coaches in the NFL with an offensive background, which was an appealing combination for the Falcons.
The Official Statement From the Atlanta Falcons on the Kevin Stefanski Hire
GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – DECEMBER 21: Head coach Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns looks on in the fourth quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field on December 21, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
“Two-time Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year, Kevin Stefanski, has been named head coach of the Atlanta Falcons after meeting with Falcons leadership, including owner and chairman, Arthur M. Blank, tonight in Atlanta,” the Falcons official press release reads.
Stefanski comes to Atlanta after previously serving as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns and a long tenure as an assistant with the Minnesota Vikings. Stefanski, 43, succeeds Raheem Morris who was not retained following the 2025 season. He becomes the 20th head coach in Falcons history and will report to the team’s president of football, Matt Ryan.
“We’re thrilled to land a lead-by-example leader in Kevin Stefanski who brings a clear vision for his staff, our team and a closely aligned focus on building this team on fundamentals, toughness and active collaboration with every area of the football operation,” said Ryan in the official release.
“Coach Stefanski is a team-first leader who puts a premium on accountability for everyone and a player-driven culture. His experience in Cleveland and Minnesota has given him a great understanding of the importance of working in sync with scouting, personnel and the rest of the football staff to maximize talent across the roster and in doing everything possible to put our players in the best position to succeed. Kevin’s style of leadership, combined with the staff and infrastructure in place here in Atlanta, gives us confidence in our shared vision for the team and we are excited to have him as the leader of our football team.”
Atlanta Falcons HC Stefanski Will Need to Work With QB Michael Penix Jr.
Back in 2024, the Falcons selected QB Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick. He sat behind free agent signee QB Kirk Cousins for most of his rookie season before taking over during the final few games of the season.
In his second season, Penix threw for 1,982 yards and nine touchdowns to three interceptions in just nine games before tearing his ACL, ending his season. Stefanski will be tasked with shepherding Penix’s development, but the ACL injury clouds the start of the season for Atlanta. It will be important for Stefanski to navigate this difficult situation.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Falcons Make Major Announcement on New Head Coach appeared first on Heavy Sports.