Kevin Stefanski And The Dixie Chicks
January 18th, 2026
Should Bucs be scared? Maybe.
Joe’s not losing sleep over this one.
So yesterday the Dixie Chicks named former Browns shot-caller Kevin Stefanski as their new head coach. Joe has one word to describe this transaction: meh.
This hire doesn’t make Joe fall to his knees and wonder about living long enough to see the Bucs win the NFC South again.
Joe understands the statgeeks love Stefanski for weird reasons. But Joe doesn’t see where this guy is some extraordinary leader of men and a savvy quarterback guru.
Stefanski’s first two years in Cleveland (2020 & 2021) had Baker Mayfield. When Mayfield wasn’t injuried, Mayfield played well. Joe would argue Mayfield later played better for Sean McVay and Todd Bowles.
In all his years in Cleveland after he let Mayfield go, with the possible exception of old man Joe Flacco, Stefanski hasn’t made a quarterback better? This guy ran through more quarterbacks than Chucky on a drunken binge. And what did Stefanski do for them?
In the NFL, it’s all about the quarterback.
Stefanski’s greatest claim to fame for Joe was hiring Jim Schwartz to run the Browns’ defense. If Stefanski lures Schwartz to Atlanta, then be afraid, Bucs fans, be very afraid.
(Yes, Joe knows there are reports that Stefanski is expected to retain current Dixie Chicks defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. Doesn’t mean he still can’t hire Schwartz and give him a fancy title and tell him to run the defense.)
But other than hiring Schwartz, what has Stefanski done that is so special? Joe struggles to answer that.
Joe doesn’t think that all of a sudden with Stefanski, the Dixie Chicks overnight become the dominant force in the division.
January 18th, 2026 at 5:07 am
2026 is RINSE AND REPEAT YEAR
Atlanta is more concerned with the Panthers.
January 18th, 2026 at 5:35 am
I’d take him in a heartbeat over Bowles.
January 18th, 2026 at 5:41 am
I don’t know much. And the older I get the more I know that I don’t know. But when I do know something I really do know something. For us Bucs fans we couldn’t have asked for a better Falcons hire. Baker was screwed to the nth by Kevin Stefanski. No lube was used. Baker will go to sleep every night thinking about the grand opportunity God has given him twice a year. It’ll probably galvanize his faith. It’s exactly the type of opportunity Baker Mayfield lives for. First thing we’ll need to do is get Baker a larger set of shoulder pads- that chip on his shoulder with Stefanski is more like a boulder. This oughta be more fun than a barrel of monkeys. And I ain’t whistling Dixie.
January 18th, 2026 at 5:49 am
This is the hope I hoped the falcons would make, this guy is exactly that “Meh” he comes from a perennial loser, so he doesn’t bring any kind of “This guy knows how to win” respect. Bonus, I really didn’t want to see Bijon in a “Shanahan” offense twice a year.
January 18th, 2026 at 5:56 am
This could be very good news for us.
Time for the Bucs to bring in powerhouse coaches and needed players. Still hoping for McDaniel as OC.
January 18th, 2026 at 6:09 am
He’s not meh in one sense.
The fire could not burn hotter for Baker playing the Falcons now.
January 18th, 2026 at 6:10 am
I would love to have someone like Mike Martz here. He’s up there in age but without a doubt one of the most interesting offensive minds of all time
January 18th, 2026 at 6:25 am
Total HOMERUN for ATL. It’s who I predicted they’d get. Best they could’ve ever hoped for. They landed THE TOP Candidate on my list (of the current NFL ex-coaches, who were available). 💯 Young ‘Offensive-Minded’ HC, who had some REAL STRONG DEFENSES, and TWO “NFL Coach of the Year” Awards under his belt! It’d take him in a HEARTBEAT, if I were ATL (or the Bucs). He’s got some mighty fine lookin’ toys to play with in ATL, too!!!! Fricken LAMBOS. They’re gonna be TOUGH.
January 18th, 2026 at 6:28 am
Just because Stafanski couldn’t make it work with sorry Shedeur – and make no mistake You Deion-sexuals, Shedeur sucks. The worst qb of any Browns quarterback ever in a single season. Please co sided all the quarterbacks the browns have had in their awful history to realize what an incredible “accomplishment” that is. Stefanski won coach of the year at that factory of sadness slop of an organization and while people are allowed to have their opinion him (wrong or otherwise) one thing is for sure – he is a massively better than Todd Bowles
January 18th, 2026 at 6:33 am
Wonder what the BUCS Record would have been had they been in the AFC North Division, under the Bowles-Lickt Regime!? I’m going to go way out on a limb here, and say not very good. Kinda hard to WIN in that division without a QB. Deshawn Watson was a Franchise CRIPPLING MOVE, too.
January 18th, 2026 at 6:40 am
His only problem in Cleveland was their OWNER.
January 18th, 2026 at 6:40 am
If he’s, “meh”, what’s Bowles? Seriously..
Kevin is a good coach. He had a few offensive players over the years in Cleveland. Chubb, Njoku, Jeudy and recently Judkins and Fannin. Maybe OBJ. He was hot and cold there. Watson deal killed that team. Poor GMs too.
Atlanta ain’t Cleveland.
Atl beat us 3 of 4 the last two years, so what’s Bowles?
January 18th, 2026 at 6:51 am
Imagine where the Bucs would have been with Liam Coen at the helm.
Anyway, it’s onwards and upwards. However, it sure seems like the Buc’s next OC might very well be…Zac Robinson.
January 18th, 2026 at 6:56 am
dont matter…we’ll be at the bottom of the bottom division
January 18th, 2026 at 7:00 am
Would take him over our POS coach. He was leading the Browns, a laughable franchise which we are about to become again. Poor leadership and ownership. Shame.
January 18th, 2026 at 7:45 am
We know he’ll have a great game at least twice next year…
January 18th, 2026 at 8:00 am
Did Stefanski sign off on the trade for Watson? If he did, that should be a major red flag. Of course, even if he did, he probably would tell Artie Blank that the Cleveland ownership forced Watson on him. Matt Ryan seems to like him but who knows how good Matt Ryan is at evaluating coaches. John Elway took responsibility for hiring Vance Joseph and Vic Fangio when he was meddling in Bronco affairs and voila, they are suddenly very relevant now that he is not making the calls anymore. .
January 18th, 2026 at 8:11 am
Buc Fans….with Bowzo still in charge be afraid….very afraid. There, fixed it.
January 18th, 2026 at 8:26 am
If you want to summarize Steffis tenure at Cleveland it is letting baker go in favor of Deshawn Watson. That says it all. He only coached 2 games in the playoffs. Both were losses. A close one to Kc then got blown out by Texas i think. Steffi was in Covid quarantine e,at home and the,assistant coach was in charge for Bakers big blowout win against b the hated Steelers.
January 18th, 2026 at 8:45 am
Well if he’s smart he’ll retain Cousins and have him start both games against the Bucs. Go Bucs!!
January 18th, 2026 at 8:53 am
Stefanski is an upgrade over bowles and a capable coach that won’t allow Bowles to fumble his way to a title. Nope, those days are over, Bowles will.need to go out and get 11-12 wins. Good luck
January 18th, 2026 at 9:09 am
NO and CAR showed significant progress over course of the season. ATL has the nucleus of a good squad.
Stefanski had a terrible owner and the GM at times wasn’t good. He’s a very good coach considering the drama and personnel messes up there. The NFC South just got more challenging for the Bucs.
Coaching is incredibly important in the NFL. Look at SF; in the playoffs despite manor injuries to All Pro personnel this year (WIlliams, Warner among others)
.I don’t see coaching at an NFL level from the Bucs staff.
January 18th, 2026 at 9:16 am
Birds got a better D than we do.
January 18th, 2026 at 9:48 am
Wow, just wow.
This guy is 10x the HC Bowles is. He would have been a huge upgrade here in Tampa and will have Atlanta competing with Carolina in the South for years to come. Two time coach of the year, took the Browns to the playoffs a couple years ago with 5 different starting QBs. Did all he could do in Cleveland when the owners decided to dump Baker and go all in on Watson.
Meanwhile we are stuck with Bowles who has already proven to suck at game management, scheming a defense, in game adjustments, holding practices to prepare players, holding players and coaches accountable…yet the bozos in here are “happy” the Falcons dumped their coach and added a very good HC. Pretty laughable
January 18th, 2026 at 9:52 am
There are 31 teams with better head coaches right now.
6 of the are still empty.
That is all you need to know about the abortion that is this franchise.
January 18th, 2026 at 10:20 am
Just a reminder, Bowles has a Super Bowl ring, Stefanski does not.
Josh Allen, Hall of Famer? I don’t think so. Easiest money is betting against Allen in playoffs, so over-hyped. Now 0-10 in overtime.
January 18th, 2026 at 10:21 am
I just don’t get all the Stefanski love, what has that guy ever won? In six or seven seasons the team has gotten worse. Two Coach of the year because what he has a winning season with the Browns, bar is pretty low. Everyone says he is an offensive guru but his teams were never good offensively. He really is a younger white offensive Todd Bowles! People are always busting Blows for his teams in NY which is also a terrible organization. I’m no fan of Todd Blows but he has won 3 division titles, and does have a Super Bowl ring, what does Stefanski have? Cleveland has a championship defense this year and his offense did diddly.
January 18th, 2026 at 10:39 am
Seriously? Bowles is less than a meh coach And he couldn’t handle Raheem Morris and first time play caller Zac Robinson uh what makes you think this will be easier? We had a top 5 offense with Coen we only had 10 wins and still won the division in the final weeks of the season. This is a throwaway season
January 18th, 2026 at 10:50 am
I mean would I have preferred him to Bowies…I guess? Agree with the Joes here, in a league where you are what your record says you are then the Falcons certainly did make a ‘meh’ hire at HC. I am concerned that the Falcons have a better overall roster than the Bucs, so with the Bucs keeping their ‘meh’ HC we damned well better get a great OC in here and hit in both free agency and the draft.
January 18th, 2026 at 11:14 am
99.8 % of Joe’s game day predictions are wrong. We’re doomed!
January 18th, 2026 at 11:28 am
Still Mountains better over IBS!
January 18th, 2026 at 12:00 pm
I wonder what defense stefanski would call if he had the Bucs in third and 28?! Hhhhmmmmm
January 18th, 2026 at 12:27 pm
Stefanski is a far better coach than Bowles.
Despite working for what many consider the worst front office in football he was twice named the AP Coach of The Year. Bowles? Nada!
Stefanski had a mess dumped on his lap and he made the most of it. Bowles has the supposed convenience of a good front office and a talented lineup and he has made the least of it.
And Stefanski didn’t choose to dump Baker for Deshaun Watson, it was the front office.
When the Bucs line up to play Atlanta next year, the Bucs will be out coached, hands down.
Be careful before calling Stefanski a bum. I’d take him in a heartbeat over Bowles.
January 18th, 2026 at 12:33 pm
This guy will run rings around Bowles.
As most teams do.
As long as Todd gets preferential treatment at OBC and the media we will hear the same tired excuses over and over.
But in the end we all know how this nightmare ends.
January 18th, 2026 at 12:44 pm
The last guy Atlanta had made Bowles look like a complete fool in 3 out of the last 4 games they played, and he got fired. Let’s hope this guy isn’t better, otherwise Backup Cousins might have 6 TD passes in a game vs. Bowles defense.
January 18th, 2026 at 12:51 pm
This dude is WAY better than Morris. Their offense already shredded us with bums at QB
January 18th, 2026 at 1:05 pm
“If he’s, “meh”, what’s Bowles? Seriously.”
Lol…that was my exact thought. Comical
January 18th, 2026 at 1:09 pm
ANd we don’t even have a defensive coordinator. And we won’t. This is ego and hubris on the part of Coach Bowles. Very silly. The Glazers should have put their foot down.
January 18th, 2026 at 1:16 pm
Why wasn’t it demanded that fat a$$ hire a defensive coordinator. All this talk about how sh*tty our our injury riddled offense was yet Dumbo gets another pass. It literally defies logic.
January 18th, 2026 at 1:30 pm
All the glory of Cleveland, now coming to Atlanta!
Sorry for you, Falcons fans.
January 18th, 2026 at 1:43 pm
Bucs fans are just permanently angry now. No matter what Joe posts, the comments are the same.
January 18th, 2026 at 1:51 pm
Not concerned
January 18th, 2026 at 1:55 pm
Bucs need to get a head of the all other teams in this division. Panthers and Saints are quitely improving, while Atlanta does have talent they could surpass the Bucs too.
January 18th, 2026 at 2:37 pm
Sean McVay he is not.
But the ppl that are clowning on him here in this thread will be singing a different tune in October.
Best roster in the division with a competent coach.
January 18th, 2026 at 3:15 pm
All this love for Stefanski makes me want to barf, do better Bucs fans
January 18th, 2026 at 3:16 pm
Stefanski was a third of the trinity running the Browns, along with Berry and the Haslams. He would have been let go before now if he were not or if he had not been completely in on the Mayfield-Watson swap. Watson’s failure was a cover for him the last few years, for to admit the failure would have tainted his partners as well, and they did the hiring and firing. The Browns Nation seems to be finally resigned to the calamity of Mayfield-Watson, so Stefansky could be quietly let go when a landing place had been assured.
January 18th, 2026 at 4:18 pm
He did not want Watson. We know how that turned out
January 18th, 2026 at 5:12 pm
Does anyone remember how good Watson was? He was better than Mahomes for 2-3 years.
Anyone thinking that wasn’t an upgrade over baker is asinine.
Obviously the person is not good and it bottomed out, but if he was 70% of the qb he was for those 2-3 years, it works out.
January 18th, 2026 at 6:42 pm
2 time coach of the year with the Cleveland Browns and that ownership…
Meh? Ok…Lol
Stefanski hands down best coach out there. IMO.
January 18th, 2026 at 6:49 pm
If you’re a Bucs fan he shouldn’t make you too comfy because hes far superior to bowles. Two time nfl coach of the year. Bowles could never win coach of the NFC south.
January 18th, 2026 at 7:03 pm
Watson’s W-L record was barely better than Mayfield’s over those years. He was 28-25 with Houston, a much better organization than the Browns.
January 18th, 2026 at 10:46 pm
Look at the DLinemen on every team Schwartz has been on, every team he’s coached had some of the best DLinemen of all time.
January 18th, 2026 at 11:05 pm
I agree with Joe Not worried about this guy just dont get me worried at all
January 18th, 2026 at 11:10 pm
He’s a good coach. CLE went to the playoffs 3x since 99. 2x was with Stefanski. His hire is definitely NOT good news
January 19th, 2026 at 6:03 am
Stefanski has won one playoff game in his entire life! And Baker Mayfield was his QB. Hung 48 points on the Steelers and Big Ben. That’s the highlight of that dudes career. That’s also the only playoff game Myles Garrett ever won.
January 19th, 2026 at 9:06 am
WBL: “All this love for Stefanski makes me want to barf, do better Bucs fans”
– – – – – – – – –
It was worth repeating…
the comments almost ALL ppl are making in here are just plain ignorant
January 19th, 2026 at 9:23 am
I said just before Harbaugh got fired, this is a TERRIBLE year to have to find a new HC. The choices are just awful. No proven OCs like Ben Johnson, No Jim Harbaughs that can be plucked from the college ranks.
And the fact that the 2nd HC hire (after the giants jumped on Harbaugh) out of 9 new HC openings is Stefanski, is comical. That is a great hire? ATL is a decent opportunity, is debated as one of the best of 9 openings, and all they can get is a retread in Stefanski? LMAO. Stefanski will do ok, he is better than Rah. But Stefanski is meh.
Now I truly wonder who the next HC hire is. Retreads Mr Clean or (I refuse to tank for better draft picks) Brian Flores? Or unproven like (Im not my daddy) Kubiack?