Kevin Stefanski will be all business when he returns to Minnesota on Sunday. He won't let his sentiments about where he spent 14 years developing as coach get in the way of the task at hand. (Cleveland Browns)
Kevin Stefanski unsentimental about ‘business trip’ to old stomping grounds in Minnesota
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Takeaways from Browns practice and interviews …
Don’t expect Kevin Stefanski to have butterflies in his stomach on his return to Minnesota for the first time since leaving to be Browns coach in 2020.
“Business trip,” he said, dryly.
Stefanski was 24 years old when former Vikings coach Brad Childress gave him the entry-level position of chief of staff in 2006. Stefanski stayed for 14 years, working under Childress, Leslie Frazier, and current coach Mike Zimmer. He climbed the ladder from assistant quarterbacks coach to tight ends coach to running backs coach, receivers coach, quarterbacks coach, interim offensive coordinator and, finally, offensive coordinator.
The Vikings blocked Stefanski from interviewing for the Giants offensive coordinator job in 2019. When Zimmer promoted Stefanski to the full-time coordinator job that year, he brought in Gary Kubiak as a senior assistant to groom Stefanski in Kubiak’s run-based, play-action passing offense.
The Browns interviewed Stefanski for the head coach job given to Freddie Kitchens in 2019. The truth is Stefanski’s one season with Kubiak enhanced him as a bona fide candidate in 2020.
“I was fortunate to be there for a long time and saw a bunch of different coaches come through – some really good coaches and varying philosophies. I will tell you that was probably the best thing for me to learn under different systems helped me grow as a coach,” he said.
All three of Stefanski’s young children were born in Minnesota during his time with the Vikings.
But his sentiments about returning are easily cast aside in his one-track mind.
“I would tell you it is obviously a special place,” Stefanski said. “I had a great time there and was treated great by the organization -- from the ownership to the coaches and staff. Really have good friends there. With that being said, it is a really big game and they are a good team so that has our full attention.”
In Minnesota, Kubiak’s son, Klint, took over as coordinator after Gary retired for a second time from coaching. Klint was Stefanski’s QB coach in 2019. They remain close friends, “but this week nobody is talking to anybody,” Stefanski said.
Zimmer is a no-nonsense, Bill Parcells disciple who doesn’t throw rose petals at the feet of anybody. He has a lot of respect for the reigning NFL coach of the year, but declined to say if he envisioned Stefanski having the success he’s enjoyed in a short time with the Browns.
“I think Kevin’s got a great rapport with the players,” Zimmer said. “He’s very analytical, knows what he wants to get accomplished, is very detailed in what he wants to do.”
Vikings running back Dalvin Cook said, “He let us be us. He knows how to deal with his players. Knows how to communicate with his players. Knows how to turn us loose during the game. You see the way he's doing that on the Browns, turning those guys loose and having fun.”
Next man up
Cornerback Greg Newsome is considered “week to week” with a calf injury and was ruled out for Minnesota by Stefanski, but the coach said Newsome won’t go on injured reserve, which means they think he’ll be back before three weeks.
Until then, Greedy Williams takes over the starting job opposite Denzel Ward. It will be Williams’ first start since his rookie 2019 season because he was out all last year with a nerve problem in his right shoulder. Williams has had only 16 snaps on defense through three games.
“He has had limited reps in the games but seeing him a lot in practice, and I think he has done a nice job,” Stefanski said. “Going all the way back to when he first got back out there, worked through it and got his wind back, I think you just see a guy who is continuing to get better.”
The Vikings run a lot of three-receiver sets this year, so Ward, Williams and slot corner Troy Hill should get plenty of snaps Sunday.
Still toughing it out
Left tackle Jedrick Wills (ankle) and center JC Tretter (knee) also didn’t practice. This is common for Tretter the past three years now and he’s never missed a snap. Wills, though, has labored through the two games he’s played with the ankle injury.
Stefanski doesn’t appear inclined to make a change to Blake Hance to give Wills time off. But if Chris Hubbard (triceps) is able to return soon -- he was limited at practice -- we might see a change to get Wills healthier.
“I think I’m comfortable with what we’re doing,” Stefanski said. “The kid is working really, really hard. He’s staying into it. He’s dealing with an injury, which is really the nature of [the NFL]. He’s doing a nice job.”
Brownie bits
Zimmer will be coy about Cook’s playing status. He sat out the win over Seattle with an ankle injury. Stefanski said the Browns expect Cook to play. This is what Nick Chubb said about his counterpart with the Vikings: “I watch him. He’s a very good running back. He can make guys miss. He’s fast, he’s versatile, can do anything you ask him to do … a slippery guy but he also runs very hard.” …
Because Chicago ran only 42 plays on offense, safety Grant Delpit’s snaps on defense decreased from 26 in Game 1 to 17 in Game 2. Remember, he missed a lot of training camp with a hamstring injury and didn’t play in preseason. But Delpit believes those snaps will take off now. “I’m right where I need to be. That comes from preparation and practice, pay attention to film when I’m not practicing, and just being aware of the defense and where I need to be. [Coaches are] just easing me into it. I’m ready to take more snaps as time goes on.”
