On Saturday, the Browns selected Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, putting the spotlight on Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Entering his sixth season as the Browns head coach, Stefanski needs a bounce-back season following a disappointing 3-14 year in 2024. However, the pressure increases as fans wonder whether Colorado head coach Deion Sanders will want to leave college to coach his son in the pros.
While that talking point will surely persist, both Stefanski's and Sanders' contracts don't portend two coaches who are at risk of losing or leaving their jobs. Even if Shedeur Sanders develops into the Browns' franchise quarterback, that doesn't mean that the Browns will ditch Stefanski for Coach Prime.
Here's a breakdown of where both Stefanski and Sanders stand with their current programs.
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Kevin Stefanski contract
In June of 2024, Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry both signed contract extensions with the Browns to remain with the team for the foreseeable future. However, the terms of the contract were not disclosed.
However, regardless of the terms, it's clear that the Browns have a substantial commitment to Stefanski beyond the 2025 season.
Kevin Stefanski coaching record
Stefanski has made the playoffs twice in five years — winning NFL Coach of the Year in 2020 — and has a career 40-44 head coaching record. Here's how Stefanski has fared in each season as the Browns head coach.
| Year | Record | Playoff record |
| 2020 | 11-5 | 1-1 |
| 2021 | 8-9 | N/A |
| 2022 | 7-10 | N/A |
| 2023 | 11-6 | 0-1 |
| 2024 | 3-14 | N/A |
Stefanski has had success with a variety of QBs, including someone with similar size and skills to Sanders: Baker Mayfield. He also coached a Joe Flacco-led team to the playoffs in 2023, so he's proven he can "coach up" quarterbacks in his passer-friendly system.
Deion Sanders contract and buyout
Sanders signed a five-year, $54 million contract extension with Colorado in March, tying him to Boulder long-term. However, if he does decide to leave Colorado, Sanders' new team will have to pay a hefty buyout.
Sanders has a $12 million buyout through the end of the 2025 year, at which point his buyout decreases each season. Here's a full breakdown of Sanders' full buyout per year, according to ESPN:
- 2025: $12 million
- 2026: $10 million
- 2027: $6 million
- 2028: $4 million
- 2029: $3 million