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Kevin Stefanski gives up Browns play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey
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- Kevin Stefanski gives up Browns play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey
BEREA — Kevin Stefanski won't just be changing quarterbacks for Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens . The Browns coach will also be changing who will be calling the plays .
Stefanski announced Wednesday afternoon that offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey will take over the play-calling duties starting with the Ravens game. The plan is for Dorsey to call the plays for the remainder of the season.
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"I've told you guys before, we have a very, very collaborative process in how we work, both during the week and on game day," Stefanski said Wednesday. "So I will continue to assist Ken and the offense as we game plan, as we go into the game. But I have total confidence in Coach Dorsey and the offensive staff."
The Browns (1-6) will start Jameis Winston at quarterback with Deshaun Watson out for the season. Dorian Thompson-Robinson will practice this week despite a finger injury he suffered during last Sunday's 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals , but they also have the recently signed Bailey Zappe who could be the backup if Thompson-Robinson can't go.
While Dorsey hasn't been calling the plays through the first seven games, he had been the de facto quarterback coach since being hired. He also was regularly the one on the walkie-talkie calling in the plays during the offseason program.
Aug 4, 2024; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) and offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and head coach Kevin Stefanski and running backs coach Duce Staley during practice at the Browns training facility in Berea, Ohio. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
"We've been with Ken since training camp," Winston said. "His voice has always been in my ear through meeting rooms, through even on the field. So I'm excited that he gets another opportunity to go out there and dial up some great plays."
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Stefanski has handled the play-calling duties for the Browns since he was hired as the head coach in 2020. The only game in which he didn't was an AFC wild card win at the Pittsburgh Steelers in January 2021 when he was sidelined because of COVID.
Dorsey was hired in late January to replace Alex Van Pelt as the offensive coordinator as part of a much larger offensive staff shakeup. At the time he was hired, just months after having been fired by the Buffalo Bills from the same role, there were thoughts that he would take over the play-calling duties.
Stefanski announced on the first day of training camp at The Greenbrier in West Virginia that he was going to continue to call the plays. The Browns offense is arguably the worst in the NFL, ranked 32nd in total yards (253.9) and third-down conversion rate (23.7%), 30th in passing offense (159.6), 29th in points per game (15.6) and tied for 28th in rush offense (94.3).
"I'm just always looking at what we can do to just be a little bit better," Stefanski said. "Truth is we have to be better on offense, and Coach Dorsey is somebody that I rely on very heavily. I just feel like this is the right thing for the team."
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The goal with hiring Dorsey was to help accentuate the various strengths of Watson. However, before his season-ending Achilles injury last Sunday, Watson was 26th in passer rating (79) and touchdown percentage (2.3%), 25th in passing yards (1,148), tied for 25th in touchdown passes (five), 29th in yards per attempt (5.31) and was sacked 33 times.
Dorsey had previously had success working with Cam Newton while he was the Carolina Panthers ' quarterbacks coach and Josh Allen while he was both quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator in Buffalo. Newton was the league's Most Valuable Player during Dorsey's time there in 2015, while Allen made his most prodigious jump in performance while finishing second in the MVP race in 2020.
"Ken's a guy that I have total trust in," Stefanski said. "He does a good job with the quarterbacks, does a good job with the offense. So just felt like this is the right thing to do."
Dorsey was the play-caller for a Buffalo offense that finished the 2022 season ranked second in total yards, seventh in rushing yards, sixth in passing yards and fourth in scoring, while being the most efficient third-down offense in the league. Over the first 10 games of last season, before he was fired by the Bills, they were seventh in the league in total yards, seventh in passing yards, eighth in points scored and 13th in rushing, but had gone six consecutive games without scoring more than 25 points.
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(This story has been updated with new information.)
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns coach Kevin Stefanski gives up play-calling job to Ken Dorsey
