Cleveland Browns Will Be Without Stefanksi Against Pittsburgh
You couldn’t make it up. After an 18 year playoff drought, the Cleveland Browns will be up against it when they play Pittsburgh on Sunday.
After three weeks of Covid-19 outbreaks, the Cleveland Browns will be without Kevin Stefanksi in the Wild Card round. The head coach was one of five people within the organization to catch the virus.
As well as that, guard Joel Bitonio and WR KhaDarel Hodge tested positive for Covid-19. A further two coaching staff returned positive tests.
The Cleveland Browns, as a result of having to close their facilities, won’t have completed a full week’s practice either.Â
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If Cleveland loses, 2020 will be remembered as the year their best season in almost two decades was derailed by some senseless virus.
After his first season in Cleveland, Kevin Stefanksi is a Coach of the Year candidate. He led the Browns to their first winning record since 2007. Their 11-5 mark is a five game improvement on last year.Â
“The Cleveland Browns were informed this morning that Head Coach Kevin Stefanski, two additional members of the coaching staff and two players have tested positive for COVID-19,” a Browns statement said.
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“Our facility is currently closed while contact tracing is taking place. The team will continue to consult with the league and medical experts to determine the appropriate next steps as the health and safety of our players, coaches, staff and the entire community remains our highest priority. Our contingency planning calls for Special Teams Coordinator Mike Priefer to serve as the acting Head Coach.”
If they have a glimmer of hope, it’s that the Steelers have been preparing to face Stefanski on the sidelines.
“Obviously I know very little about Mike Priefer about global decision-making in terms of being a head coach,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.
