After two weeks of drama, interviews, and conversations, the Falcons finally have their leader. Kevin Stefanski will lead the Falcons in the 2026 season, and Arthur Blank and Matt Ryan couldn't have made a better choice.
The two-time Coach of the Year was among an elite group of prospective head coaches during this cycle. Headlined by John Harbaugh, Klint Kubiak, Mike McDaniel, and others, it really was the cream of the crop.
There was a horde of options at the Falcons disposal, yet they landed on a guy who is 11 games under .500 all time as a head coach. This begs the question.. is he the right guy?
My short answer is yes. Sure, the accolades will help, but Stefanski excelled immediately upon his arrival in Cleveland in 2020.
Kevin Stefanski is the perfect head coaching fit for the Falcons
During his first Coach of the Year campaign, Stefanski led a roster consisting of 25-year-olds Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, and Kareem Hunt to the playoffs. He led a franchise to its first winning season since 2007, as the Browns were 17-62 the previous five seasons before Stefanski's hiring.
A couple of rocky seasons went by before another Stefanski produced another 11-win playoff team with 38-year-old Joe Flacco as his end-of-year quarterback, and won his second Coach of the Year award.
None of the currently available head coaches has Stefanki's pedigree. Sure, John Harbaugh will have him beat in nearly every area, but the Giants had their sights set on him for weeks.
Another massive available head coaching candidate is McDaniel, but Matt Ryan passed on his former assistant. The former Dolphins' head coach could still be a viable offensive coordinator, which would be ideal at this point.
His offensive-centric mind would have been a blessing in Atlanta. From 2021 to 2023, McDaniel led three different offenses on two teams to top 7 in yards. The 42-year-old never boasted a terrible defense throughout his tenure in Miami, but only coached one strong defensive season.
Atlanta will be missing out on one of the best offensive minds in the game without hiring McDaniel, but his overall coaching pedigree is yet to be decided.
Klint Kubiak is another name Falcons' fans may have wanted Ryan to hire, especially after watching the Seahawks dismantle the 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Seahawks' offensive coordinator led Sam Darnold and company to the top eight in several offensive statistics this season.
Falcons' fans who wanted an offensive minded head coach wanted Kubiak, but the problem is, he doesn't have much high-level experience. Kubiak has just three seasons as a coordinator, with many years in various other positions, while Stefanski spent the last six seasons as a head coach.
The Saints let him walk after one season as their offensive coordinator after he led an incredibly mediocre offense to a 5-12 record.
Overall, hiring Stefanski was the right decision in my eyes. He may not be the offensive guru we were hoping for, but he's a tested warrior who can coach both sides of the ball well. His 8-26 head coaching record over the last two seasons is quite concerning, but when you're coaching the Browns, it's bound to happen.