Browns head coach declares his resignation
Kevin Stefanski declares his resignation today
guided the team to three divisional crowns and four postseason trips during his tenure as head coach, but the squad’s unwavering toughness and never-say-die mentality won him over to Browns supporters and frequently resulted in exciting wins. Not only did he have an impact on football in Northeast Ohio, but the entire NFL was affected by him. His wife, Pat, and her family are in our thoughts and prayers.
Due to problems with Alzheimer’s disease, Schottenheimer was transferred last week to a hospice facility close to his Charlotte, North Carolina, home. In 2014, Schottenheimer, then 77 years old, received his initial diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.
In announcing last week that her husband had been placed in hospice care, wife Pat Schottenheimer stated, “As a family, we are encircling him with love.” “And we are soaking up the well wishes and encouragement from everyone he touched during his amazing life. We are moving forward step by step, one play at a time, as he instructed us all to do.”
Throughout his 21 seasons as an NFL head coach, Schottenheimer employed a variety of catchphrases to inspire his troops, “One play at a time” being only one of them. 1965 saw the native of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, selected by the American Football League’s Buffalo Bills. Schottenheimer was traded to the Boston Patriots following his four seasons with the Bills. He played with the Patriots for two seasons until retiring in 1971.
As he ascended the coaching ranks, Schottenheimer began in 1974 with the Portland Storm of the World Football League as an assistant. After that, he worked as a coach for the New York Giants and Detroit Lions. In 1980, he moved to Cleveland and took on the role of defensive coordinator for the Browns. Midway through the 1984 season, he was elevated to the position of head coach, succeeding the fired Sam Rutigliano. The Browns concluded the season with a 4-4 record under Schottenheimer.
One of the most memorable eras in Browns history was launched with the hiring of Schottenheimer as head coach and the selection of quarterback Bernie Kosar in the 1985 NFL supplemental draft. The team would go on to win three straight AFC Central Division titles and qualify for the playoffs four times in a row. In 1985, the Browns went to the AFC Divisional Playoffs in Miami after an 8-8 record proved to be sufficient to win the division. The Browns and Schottenheimer would eventually learn to recognize this pattern: Cleveland surged out to a 21-3 lead only to see Miami rally for a 24-21 victory.
In 1986 and 1987, the Browns made it to back-to-back AFC Championship Games, where they were painfully defeated by John Elway and the Denver Broncos. More victory and agony were in store for the franchise. The 1986 Browns finished 12-4 and went on to play in the AFC championship game following a thrilling double-overtime victory over the New York Jets in the divisional round. With 6:48 remaining in the game, the Browns led the Broncos 20–13, and it appeared as though they would win the Super Bowl. Denver retreated to their own 2-yard line, and then Elway launched what would become known as “The Drive.” The Broncos advanced to Super Bowl XXI after scoring the game-winning touchdown on a 98-yard drive and then making a field goal in overtime.
In 1987, the Browns and Schottenheimer would face Elway and the Broncos once more, this time at Mile High Stadium in Denver. The Browns made early errors that allowed Denver to take a 21-3 lead into halftime. The Browns got back into the game with a valiant comeback spearheaded by Kosar and running back Earnest Byner. With less than a minute remaining in regulation, Denver was leading 38–31 when Byner was taken out of the game as he was heading to the end zone. Denver recovered to seal the victory. Another chapter would be added to Cleveland sports history with “The Fumble.”
Not so much the Browns’ on-field performance as it was Schottenheimer’s pre- and post-game remarks that made him famous during his time in Cleveland. “One play at a time” would give way to “This is the Browns’ era” or “There’s a glint, lads.” Years after Schottenheimer’s inspirational lectures were frequently shown on NFL films, his players continued to express gratitude for the impact his words had on them.
