Key timeline and takeaways:
– 2020 magic in Cleveland: Mayfield and Stefanski go 11-5, win in Wild Card Weekend over the Steelers for the Browns’ first playoff win in 26 years, and Stefanski earns Coach of the Year. 🏆📈
– 2021 rough patch: 8-9 with Mayfield battling a shoulder injury down the stretch. 💥
– The Watson era begins: Cleveland trades three first-round picks and big assets to land Deshaun Watson, signing him to a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed deal. The move reshapes the franchise going forward. ⚡️💸
– Stefanski’s lone post-Mayfield winning season: 2023 finishes 11-6, makes the playoffs, but bowes out in the Wild Card after a loss to the Texans. Stefanski’s career mark with the Browns sits around 45-56 in the regular season and 1-2 in the playoffs. 🏟️🧭
– Mayfield’s current success in Tampa: the Buccaneers win the NFC South and make the playoffs in each of his first two seasons there (2023, 2024). 🏁🏆
Bottom line: the feud adds extra spice as Stefanski heads to the Falcons and Mayfield keeps chasing more big wins in Tampa. Two meetings a year between old boss and former star figure to be must-watch moments for fans. 👀🔥🏈