Is Kevin Stefanski making his last appearance at home as Browns head coach?

Editor’s note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.

Four downs on Browns (3-12) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)

First down: Auld Lang Syne

The curtain is falling on a number of familiar Browns whose contracts expire after this season. Which could make this the final home game for active players such as guard Joel Bitonio, guard Wyatt Teller, defensive tackle Shelby Harris, linebacker Devin Bush, punter Corey Bojorquez, and kicker Andre Szmyt; and inactive players such as tight end David Njoku, running back Jerome Ford, offensive tackle Jack Conklin, center Ethan Pocic, and cornerback Martin Emerson. A few may be brought back, although it’s odd that GM Andrew Berry hasn’t re-upped the ones deemed definitely in the team’s future; they have the cap room to do so. The most prominent person whose future is in doubt, however, is Kevin Stefanski. After the 2023 playoff season, Stefanski became the first coach hired by Jimmy Haslam to earn a contract extension. But since then, Stefanski has suffered through 3-14 and 3-12 (so far) seasons. Through 2023, the Browns were 24-10 under Stefanski in Huntington Bank Field. Since, they are 4-11. Stefanski’s overall record of 44-58 (.431) is the worst among active head coaches with 100 or more career games. Only Atlanta’s Raheem Morris (35-56 .385) has a worse record among full-time NFL coaches still on the job.

Second down: Sack it and wrap it.

It is poetic justice that Myles Garrett’s pursuit of the NFL single-season sack record should climax against the Steelers -- the perfect opponent. Garrett has 22 sacks. One more would surpass the record of 22.5 jointly held by Hall of Famer Michael Strahan (in 16 games) and Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt (in 17 games). Now, here’s more historical significance of this game. There have been 52 victims among Garrett’s 124.5 career sacks in regular-season games. Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers is not one of them. Should Rodgers be pulled in this game by coach Mike Tomlin, Mason Rudolph would replace him. Rudolph, of course, was the unfortunate soul whose helmet was ripped off and slammed on his head by Garrett in a game on November 14, 2019 in then-First Energy Stadium. The violent act occurred with :08 left in a game won by the Browns, 21-7. “That’s one of the worst things I’ve ever seen on a professional sports field,” FOX announcer Joe Buck said during the broadcast. “This is barbaric, is what this is,” chimed in color commentator Troy Aikman. The play was not a sack, however, as Rudolph barely released a short pass before feeling Garrett’s wrath on a takedown. So whether it’s Rodgers or Rudolph, Garrett’s record sack would come against a first-time visitor to Garrett’s personal QB graveyard.

Third down: Tomlin’s edgy frustration.

Earlier this season, Tomlin expressed frustration (read: anger) toward Berry for trading quarterback Joe Flacco to division-rival Cincinnati prior to the Steelers facing the Bengals. Sure enough, Flacco threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns and drove to the winning field goal in a 33-31 Bengals victory. (The Steelers avenged Flacco and the Bengals four weeks later, 34-12.) Memories of the trade and the Garrett-Rudolph incident were not the only reasons Tomlin seemed on edge when discussing the Browns earlier this week. “Certainly we’ve had our issues in recent years in Cleveland,” Tomlin said. The Garrett-Rudolph game precipitated a stretch of five Pittsburgh losses in the last six games in Cleveland. In the last three, the winning Cleveland quarterbacks have been Jacoby Brissett, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Jameis Winston. The losing Pittsburgh QBs were Mitchell Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Russell Wilson.

Fourth down: Like father, like son.

Twenty years ago as a rookie with Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers was inserted in a late December game in Baltimore. A Ravens starting cornerback that day was Deion Sanders. On Sunday, Rodgers’ opposing QB will be Shedeur Sanders – Deion’s son. Asked about playing against the second generation of past opponents, Rodgers said, “I mean, it's part of it. Lot of these guys in here and out there, you know, I’ve played with relatives or fathers, against them. Cincinnati has Kris Jenkins. I played with his uncle. Tampa has Antoine Winfield Jr. I played against his dad for a number of years. Obviously, Joey [Porter Jr.] in here. Played against his dad. So, it's fun because it means I'm still playing. I follow Shedeur, his career. I mean, any football fan had watched him go from Jackson to Boulder [CO], and that being kind of a former PAC-12 school, obviously was pulling for him. There's a tough draft slide, obviously, much longer wait than mine was. It seems like he's been patient and worked on his craft, and he's been playing pretty good the last few weeks.”

The pick: Steelers 19, Browns 13.

My record: 9-6.