The Opening Drive 12/26: Joel Bitonio's Belief, and One Sneaky Roster Solution From 2025
Some important quotes from the Browns key veteran and a long-term solution could be in place.
We all know how long and grueling these last two seasons have been. Only six wins (we hope at this point) across that span represents the kind of sustained losing that can break a fanbase—and the spirit and belief of a team. The Browns have some heavy decisions to make in the coming weeks, and the single biggest one is whether they should keep Kevin Stefanski in charge and whether the players will respond to him after everything they’ve been through.
Veteran Joel Bitonio spoke on the topic earlier this week, and when the Browns’ longest-tenured player—one with multiple Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors—speaks, you listen closely.
“I think he’s a good football coach (Stefanski). We have not won. And he will tell you firsthand winning matters in this league and we haven’t done that. But as a coach goes, I have the highest respect for him, what he’s done here,” Bitonio said. “And I know it is what you’ve done now, but we’ve been to two playoff games. We’ve had winning records. We’ve been competitive. Is it where we’re at right now? We don’t want to be there. But I think if we get the right pieces and we keep improving, I think that’s a guy you can build around. Two-time coach of the year, he has the respect of his peers. I think you saw it this last week. The team is motivated to play. We’re trying to win games. I think he has respect in the locker room.”
Whether that is true or not is something no one outside the locker room can truly know, and it’s not uncommon for a veteran like Bitonio to make supportive statements about a coach he respects—even if the direction the franchise ultimately needs to go lies elsewhere. The comment doesn’t solve the underlying problem, but it does provide a glimpse into how some players feel about Stefanski and his ability to get the job done despite the odds.
“I mean, you saw him in 2023. We had five different quarterbacks start games or six or however many it was. And then the last two years, it’s been a rotation of quarterbacks. And we’re working,” Bitonio said. “We have a couple young rookie quarterbacks that are playing and showing promise. But until that quarterback position is solved in the NFL, it is hard to win games. It is the most important position in sports. And you’re trying to build a defense that has shown that they can be elite and you want to build around these great quarterbacks. But yes, it is difficult for a coach to definitely navigate that.”
Nobody denies that Stefanski’s roster had the odds stacked against it this year. We all saw what was coming. The problem lies with the season before that, and with the broader lack of control over the areas Stefanski should influence the most. A decision is clearly looming, and it won’t be an easy one for those deeply connected to Stefanski inside the building.
It is rare for the Browns to have the same head coach for six seasons in the post-1999 era. That deeper connection is something Jimmy Haslam will have to navigate for the first time as an owner. Sometimes the correct decisions are the toughest ones to make.
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Nothing groundbreaking here, guys, but what Andre Szmyt has done throughout most of 2025 is something we need to discuss. After the disaster that Dustin Hopkins turned into during the 2024 season and the 2025 preseason, the Browns were once again desperate at kicker. The franchise turned the job over to Szmyt after Hopkins imploded leading up to the season, and I think we can all agree it felt temporary.
Following a Week 1 performance in which Szmyt missed a PAT and a short 36-yard field goal, the Browns seemed destined to cycle through another kicker—likely sooner rather than later. Instead, Szmyt has gone on to make 19 of his 21 field-goal attempts, missing only a 47-yard try against New England and a 56-yard attempt against the Lions, while converting all of his extra points. He also kicked the game-winner against the Packers.
He doesn’t rank higher on this EPA list due to a lack of overall volume (thanks, Browns offense) and fewer long attempts, but he has shown that he is good enough to kick in this league.
Who knows if Szmyt will have a Hopkins-like implosion during his second season with the Browns—we all know how capricious kickers can be year over year—but for now, it’s nice to know the Browns have a solid kicking option in place. It’s also been cool to watch Szmyt bounce back after that brutal Week 1.
If he can solve the team’s long-term kicking issues, it would be a unique story the Browns—and their fans—would welcome.
Browns Film Breakdown will return soon with some fresh content.
Nice to have one Special Teams brightspot.