Daniel OyefusiNov 3, 2025, 01:12 PM ET
- Daniel Oyefusi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. Prior to ESPN, he covered the Miami Dolphins for the Miami Herald, as well as the Baltimore Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.
BEREA, Ohio -- For the second consecutive season, Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is relinquishing playcalling duties.
Stefanski said Monday that offensive coordinator Tommy Rees will call plays Sunday in the team's road game against the New York Jets. The 2-6 Browns returned from the bye and held a practice Monday.
"I have a ton of trust and faith in Tommy," Stefanski said. "He's more than capable, so excited for him. But bottom line is we have to just get better collectively.
"I just felt like Tommy is somebody that I believed in," Stefanski later said. "Obviously hired him here a couple years back, because I really believe in Tommy as a coach, and he's done everything that we've asked, and I just feel like this is the right time."
The Browns have the third-lowest scoring offense in the NFL, averaging 15.8 points per game. Cleveland made a change at quarterback four games into the season, benching the since-traded veteran Joe Flacco for rookie Dillon Gabriel. The move, though, hasn't been enough to jump-start Cleveland's offense.
Gabriel, the No. 94 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, has completed 59.9% of his passes for 702 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions this season. His 26.8 Total QBR ranks above only Tennessee Titans rookie Cam Ward.
Stefanski confirmed that Gabriel would continue to be the team's starting quarterback, which he said would be the case before the bye. Backup Shedeur Sanders, who was inactive in Week 8 because of a back injury, was not seen practicing on Monday as he continues to nurse the injury.
Rees is in his second season in Cleveland after joining the staff in 2024 as tight ends coach and pass game specialist. Rees, 33, previously served as the offensive coordinator at the University of Alabama for the 2023 season. He was also the University of Notre Dame's offensive coordinator from 2020 to 2022.
Last season, Stefanski gave up playcalling duties to then-OC Ken Dorsey seven games into the season as the Browns posted the lowest-scoring offense in the league. The change coincided with quarterback Deshaun Watson's season-ending Achilles injury and the Browns naming Jameis Winston their starter. Dorsey was fired at the conclusion of the 2024 season.
Stefanski said Monday that the team is not opening the practice window for Watson, who remains on the physically unable to perform list, this week and that he had no further update.
