Browns HC Stefanski '00 Remembers 17th and Girard, Faculty Reflect on "That Kid"

Browns HC Stefanski '00 Remembers 17th and Girard, Faculty Reflect on "That Kid"

By Alex Currie '21

A new page has been turned in the saga of the Cleveland Browns—one year after the last page was turned. But for the playoff-starved Browns, there is a feeling that this might just be their storybook year, largely in part due to the hiring of Prep alum Kevin Stefanski '00 to the position of Head Coach.

Lauded as a dynamic young coaching talent, and best described as a deeply intelligent and cerebral student of football, Stefanski was the runner-up for the Browns' job last year. Before being named head coach in Cleveland, Stefanski was the longest-tenured coach on the Vikings coaching staff, serving for 14 years in various coaching positions on the offense under three different head coaches, culminating in the role of Offensive Coordinator for part of the 2018 and the entire 2019 season.

Speaking over the phone, Stefanski was clearly excited to begin work assembling a contender in Cleveland.

"This franchise is such a storied franchise," said Stefanski. "When you think about it, this is the place of Jim Brown and I just believe this is a special town and they deserve a winner. The fans have been so incredibly welcoming to me and my family. I love the challenge and I think if we have the right people around here, players and coaches, I think we will 'have a chance to have a chance' as they say. But I just love the challenge, and I'm ready for it and really excited to do something out here that I think will be special if we can get it done."

Kevin Stefanski '00 (left) became the 18th head coach of the Cleveland Browns on January 13. In speaking with The Hawkeye, Stefanski shared his thoughts on coaching a storied franchise, talked about what the Prep meant to him, recalled Mr. Raffa, and much more. Pictured: Stefanski and Prep teammate John Paul Mantey.

Photo: St. Joe's Prep

Before he was a sought-after candidate for a head coaching position in the National Football League, Kevin Stefanski was a talented athlete from St. Katherine's in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Drawn to the Prep, despite his older brother Ed who attended Archbishop Carroll, Kevin paved the way for his other brothers Matt '03 and Dave '06 to follow in his footsteps. Coming from a sports family where his father Ed was an NBA executive, Kevin succeeded academically and stood out as a unique talent on the football field, culminating in MVP honors in the Catholic League his senior year.

During Stefanski's freshman season, Joe Judge—named the new head coach of the New York Giants mere days before Stefanski was named to the Browns—was also a freshman competing for the Prep's starting quarterback position. With Stefanski solidified as the starter, Judge transferred after that year to Lansdale Catholic.

Coach Stefanski's time on the Prep's football team was an informative one.

"I had a great experience playing football at the Prep."

Prep Head Coach Gil Brooks and Prep Freshman coach John Wagner (Coach Wags) were especially mentioned.

"I was so lucky to be around some great coaches throughout my life and Coach Brooks is certainly right there [...]. I was exposed to such special people, and I think of Coach Wags often, someone who had the players and the young men's interest in mind in everything he did. In terms of football, I really enjoyed being a teammate. I think that's kind of the first place where you learn how important it is to be a good teammate, and I had some great ones."

After helping a young team to the PCL semifinals his senior year at the Prep, Stefanski went to the University of Pennsylvania, where he played defensive back and was a co-captain his senior year. An internship with the Eagles front office and a year as a graduate assistant on the Penn coaching staff led to an assistant position on the Vikings coaching staff.

Stefanski explained his gravitation toward football.

"Once you're done playing—and my career mercifully ended in college—you want to then coach because you want to be close to the game. You want to have an impact on the game, and this game has done so much for me. This game has been so important to my life that I wanted to get back into it in some form or fashion. I was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to intern with the Philadelphia Eagles and once I did that and was around the game at that level, I knew I wanted to do something in the sport, but I didn't know exactly what."

During Stefanski's introductory press conference, he stressed to the public that success stems from personal connections and teamwork. And that's fitting, considering at the Prep, it appears almost every teacher, coach, or faculty member has a Kevin Stefanski story.

He was that kid. The one who is smart, talented, athletic and got along with his peers and with the adults in his life.

Ms. Brown

Science Teacher

Prep Counselor Dr. Barbera '86 remembers a time on Sophomore Retreat when Kevin invited a visibly nervous student who did not know where to sit over to his table to sit with his football teammates.

English teacher Dr. Rupertus remembers the toughness of Kevin getting up after a hard hit and not taking a play off. He also testifies to Kevin's competitive spirit as he watched a playoff CYO basketball game of Kevin's, who did not let his relationship with a friend and Prep classmate of his get between him and winning.

Cape & Sword Director Mr. Braithwaite '89 remembers a talented yet humble Kevin taking his senior year drama elective in which Stefanksi helped write and later starred in a show reflecting on the history and future of the Prep.

To this day, Stefanski firmly believes in the mission of the Prep.

"The Prep is a special place, and I think it's because of the people. A lot of the people that I was there with are still there, and I think that tells you a little bit about the place. I've met lifelong friends there and the impact that the teachers had on me as you're a young impressionable student trying to figure out your way—I just think there's such important people in my life and they are an important time in a kid's life."

"Some of your teachers are people that I've had and it takes me back to that time, and you know Frank Raffa, he's an institution. There's so many young men that have gone through that place, and I bet you he remembers most of their names."

The Prep is a special place, and I think it's because of the people.

Kevin Stefanski '00

Cleveland Browns Head Coach

Spanish teacher Mr. Raffa certainly remembers his former student "very fondly." After all, it was Mr. Raffa who was especially thanked by Stefanski in his senior yearbook.

"He was one of the students in a class in which I had so much fun. He was in Honors Spanish I and was an excellent student." Mr. Raffa continued, "What I noticed about his football playing was that he was incredibly nice to the younger kids on the team, and after the first five months of class we were buddies."

The feeling is mutual, as Stefanski firmly replied to the first mention of Raffa with, "That's my guy!"

A new beginning in a new city could prove daunting for many, but for Stefanski, he continues to increase the relationships he makes and is even put at ease by the Jesuits in Cleveland.

"I feel very at home here in Cleveland because I'm surrounded by Jesuits. Believe it or not, there's a parish, The Church of the Gesu, here and I got a nice note in the mail my first day in the office from the pastor of the Church of the Gesu, so I made sure that was my first stop for Sunday Mass."

Coach Stefanski finds that the Jesuit values he learned at the Prep were important to his formation.

"I feel such a strong kinship with the Jesuit order. The Jesuits have been so impactful in my life, and very simply their style of leadership is something that I try to evoke; being a man for others and what that means and being a servant leader. Putting others in front of yourself is something that I think was taught to us as students early on and throughout our Prep careers. For me as a coach it's very important in my position to get the very most I can out of all of the people that I touch on a daily basis - players, coaches, staff - it's my job to empower those people so we can have success as a team."

Retiring basketball coach Speedy Morris, who was close with the Stefanski family and coached Kevin's brothers, said of Stefanski, "He was a great kid [...], great guy. He is very confident, and as a student of the game, will be a great coach. His great work ethic and skill as a communicator make him a great coach."

Biology teacher Ms. Brown had high praise for her well-rounded former student.

"He was that kid," she said. "The one who is smart, talented, athletic and got along with his peers and with the adults in his life. He was always kind and generous and never full of himself. He did a lot of service with the Community Service Corps when he was at the Prep. I think he is a great example of what we want to graduate. He is a dear love!"

Pictured (L-R): Mr. Raffa, Kevin Stefanski '00, and Ms. Brown pose for a photo at graduation. Both Raffa and Brown recalled Stefanski as a well-rounded, caring student.

"Obviously we are so proud of him as an alum of ours, not only in athletics but also in academics," said Prep Athletic Director Mr. Dennis Hart '95 on Stefanski. "[H]e's going to lead like the Ignatian Way. [...] We are trying to help develop students to go out and lead, and Kevin is a shining example of what we are."

The last word, however, goes to Mr. Braithwaite with a powerful observation.

"He worked hard to make sure he didn't come off as an egotistical pain in the ass, but, in fact, went the other way and was humble and nice and a kind of friend to all."