The 2025 season was the Cleveland Browns' 73rd as a member of the National Football League (NFL), their 77th overall, their sixth under general manager Andrew Berry, and their sixth and final under head coach Kevin Stefanski. The Browns improved on their 3–14 record from the previous season. However, they clinched their second consecutive losing season and 16th in 18 years, and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second straight year.
Myles Garrett set the record for most sacks in a season, with 23. The previous record of 22.5 was shared by Michael Strahan and T. J. Watt.
On January 5, 2026, one day after the end of the season, Stefanski was fired by the Browns after six seasons with the team.
The Cleveland Browns drew an average home attendance of 67,431, the 19th-highest of all NFL teams.https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2025/attendance.htm
Offseason
Staff changes On January 5, one day after the season ended, the Browns fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and offensive line coach Andy Dickerson, both after one season with the team.
On January 8, the Browns hired former Rice University head coach Mike Bloomgren as their new offensive line coach.
On January 14, the Browns promoted tight ends coach and passing game specialist Tommy Rees to offensive coordinator to replace Dorsey.
Roster changes
Free agents + 2025 Cleveland Browns Free Agents Pos. Player Tag 2025 Team Signed OT Hakeem Adeniji UFA Dallas Cowboys April 18 TE Jordan Akins UFA S D'Anthony Bell RFA Seattle Seahawks March 22 CB Tony Brown UFA Cleveland Browns March 20 LB Devin Bush Jr. UFA Cleveland Browns March 12 OT Geron Christian UFA Dallas Cowboys August 2 RB Nick Chubb UFA Houston Texans June 9 G Michael Dunn UFA San Francisco 49ers August 20 DT Michael Dwumfour ERFA San Francisco 49ers August 7 CB Mike Ford UFA Atlanta Falcons March 17 RB D'Onta Foreman UFA C Nick Harris UFA Washington Commanders August 22 DE James Houston RFA Dallas Cowboys July 22 OT James Hudson UFA New York Giants March 12 LS Charley Hughlett Release Philadelphia Eagles March 14 DT Maurice Hurst Jr. UFA OT Germain Ifedi UFA Miami Dolphins August 3 RB John Kelly ERFA WR Elijah Moore UFA Buffalo Bills April 30 WR James Proche UFA Tennessee Titans March 26 TE Geoff Swaim UFA S Juan Thornhill Release Pittsburgh Steelers March 17 DT Dalvin Tomlinson Release Arizona Cardinals March 12 OT Jedrick Wills UFA QB Jameis Winston UFA New York Giants March 21 QB Bailey Zappe RFA Kansas City Chiefs March 17
Signings + 2025 Cleveland Browns Free Agents Pos. Player 2024 Team Signed LB Jerome Baker Tennessee Titans March 24 WR DeAndre Carter Chicago Bears March 19 DT Maliek Collins San Francisco 49ers March 12 QB Joe Flacco Indianapolis Colts April 11 G Teven Jenkins Chicago Bears March 20 WR Diontae Johnson Baltimore Ravens April 28 OT Cornelius Lucas Washington Commanders March 12 DE Julian Okwara Arizona Cardinals April 14 DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka Tampa Bay Buccaneers March 12
Trades + 2025 Cleveland Browns Offseason Trades Date Team Player(s)/Asset(s) Received Player(s)/Asset(s) Traded March 12 Philadelphia Eagles QB Kenny Pickett QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson 2025 5th round selection August 20 New York Jets 2026 6th round selection DT Jowon Briggs 2026 7th round selection August 25 Las Vegas Raiders 2026 5th round selection QB Kenny Pickett August 26 Los Angeles Rams T KT Leveston 2028 7th round selection
Draft
+ 2025 Cleveland Browns draft selections Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 2 Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars 5 Mason Graham DT Michigan From Jaguars 2 33 Carson Schwesinger LB UCLA 36 Quinshon Judkins RB Ohio State From Jaguars 3 67 Harold Fannin Jr. TE Bowling Green 94 Dillon Gabriel QB Oregon From Bills 4 104 Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars 126 Dylan Sampson RB Tennessee From Vikings via Jaguars 5 139 Traded to the Minnesota Vikings 144 Shedeur Sanders QB Colorado From Patriots via Seahawks 164 Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles From Lions 166 Traded to the Seattle Seahawks From Texans 6 179 Traded to the Houston Texans 192 Traded to the Seattle Seahawks From Dolphins via Bears 200 Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars From Vikings 204 Traded to the Buffalo Bills From Lions 216 Traded to the Houston Texans Compensatory selection 7 218 Traded to the Los Angeles Chargers 240 Traded to the Chicago Bears From Vikings 255 Traded to the Houston Texans Compensatory selection
+ Undrafted free agents Name Position College Ref. Adin Huntington DE Tulane Jason Ivey OT North Carolina A&T LaMareon James CB TCU Dom Jones CB Colorado State Gage Larvadain WR South Carolina Ahmani Marshall RB Appalachian State Easton Mascarenas-Arnold LB USC Brent Matiscik LS TCU Donovan McMillon S Pittsburgh Justin Osborne C SMU Ja'Seem Reed WR San Diego Dartanyan Tinsley G Cincinnati Eli Wilson FB Appalachian State Luke Floriea WR Kent State Kisean Johnson WR Western Kentucky Cade McDonald WR Miami (OH) Winston Wright Jr. WR East Carolina
Draft trades
Staff
Final roster
Preseason Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Carolina Panthers W 30–10 1–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap 2 at Philadelphia Eagles W 22–13 2–0 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 3 Los Angeles Rams W 19–17 3–0 Huntington Bank Field Recap
Game summaries Preseason Week 1: at Carolina Panthers
Preseason Week 2: at Philadelphia Eagles
Preseason Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Rams
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 7 Cincinnati Bengals L 16–17 0–1 Huntington Bank Field Recap 2 September 14 at Baltimore Ravens L 17–41 0–2 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 3 September 21 Green Bay Packers W 13–10 1–2 Huntington Bank Field Recap 4 September 28 at Detroit Lions L 10–34 1–3 Ford Field Recap 5 October 5 Minnesota Vikings L 17–21 1–4 Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Recap 6 October 12 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 9–23 1–5 Acrisure Stadium Recap 7 October 19 Miami Dolphins W 31–6 2–5 Huntington Bank Field Recap 8 October 26 at New England Patriots L 13–32 2–6 Gillette Stadium Recap 9Bye 10 November 9 at New York Jets L 20–27 2–7 MetLife Stadium Recap 11 November 16 Baltimore Ravens L 16–23 2–8 Huntington Bank Field Recap 12 November 23 at Las Vegas Raiders W 24–10 3–8 Allegiant Stadium Recap 13 November 30 San Francisco 49ers L 8–26 3–9 Huntington Bank Field Recap 14 December 7 Tennessee Titans L 29–31 3–10 Huntington Bank Field Recap 15 December 14 at Chicago Bears L 3–31 3–11 Soldier Field Recap 16 December 21 Buffalo Bills L 20–23 3–12 Huntington Bank Field Recap 17 December 28 Pittsburgh Steelers W 13–6 4–12 Huntington Bank Field Recap 18 January 4 at Cincinnati Bengals W 20–18 5–12 Paycor Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Despite holding the Bengals to 2 net yards in the second half, the Browns lost the game and started the season at 0–1.
Week 2: at Baltimore Ravens
The Browns traveled to Baltimore for a battle with the division rival Baltimore Ravens. This also marked the return to Baltimore for Browns quarterback Joe Flacco, who spent eleven seasons with the Ravens. Baltimore took a 10–0 lead with a Tyler Loop field goal and a Lamar Jackson touchdown pass to Tylan Wallace. The Browns cut the lead to 10–3 late in the first half on an Andre Smyzt field goal.
Baltimore scored the first ten points in the third quarter on another Loop field goal and a Jackson touchdown pass to Devontez Walker to extend their lead to 20–3. The Browns made it 20–10 on a Flacco touchdown pass to Cedric Tillman. The Ravens scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to take control of the game with a 41–10 lead. The Browns scored on late touchdown pass from Dillon Gabriel to Dylan Sampson – the first career touchdown for each player – to make the final score 41–17.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 0–2.
Week 3: vs. Green Bay Packers
The Browns returned home still in search of their first win, to take on the Green Bay Packers. Defense reigned on both sides throughout the first half as the only points were on a Brandon McManus field goal for Green Bay, who took a 3–0 lead into halftime. Green Bay added a Jordan Love touchdown pass to John FitzPatrick in the third quarter to extend its lead to 10–0.
Cleveland scored its first points of the game with under four minutes remaining on an Andre Szmyt field goal. Green Bay's next drive ended quickly when Grant Delpit intercepted a Love pass and returned it to the Green Bay 4-yard line. Two plays later, Quinshon Judkins scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 10–10. Green Bay lined up for a go-ahead field goal with 27 seconds remaining, but McManus' kick was blocked by Shelby Harris. Cleveland promptly drove into field goal range, and Szmyt converted a 55-yard field goal as time expired to give the Browns a 13–10 win.
With the win, the Browns improved to 1–2 and ended an 8–game losing streak which started in Week 13 of the previous season. Szmyt was named AFC Special Teams player of the week.
Week 4: at Detroit Lions
The Browns traveled to Detroit hoping to build upon their first win of the season. The Browns struck first on a Quinshon Judkins touchdown run to take a 7–0 lead, but Detroit tied the game on their next drive on a Jahmyr Gibbs touchdown run. Detroit dominated the game from that point, taking advantage of three turnovers by Joe Flacco and returning a punt for a touchdown, en route to the dominating 34–10 win. This was the Browns' final game with Joe Flacco as the team's starting quarterback; he left to go to the Bengals.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 1–3.
Week 5: vs. Minnesota Vikings NFL London games
The Browns traveled to London to face the Minnesota Vikings as part of the NFL International Series. Heading into the matchup, starting quarterback Joe Flacco was benched and second-string quarterback Dillon Gabriel was named the starter, the team’s 41st starting quarterback since 1999. Gabriel passed for 190 yards and two touchdowns to give the Browns a 17–14 lead late in the fourth quarter.
The Browns gained possession with 3:21 remaining in the game, but were unable to move the ball being forced to punt and only taking 16 seconds off the clock. Minnesota drove 80 yards in the final minutes, with quarterback Carson Wentz completing all 9 of his passes including the game-winning touchdown to Jordan Addison with 25 seconds remaining to make the final score 21–17.
With the loss, Browns fell to 1–4. Going back to last season, this was the tenth straight game in which the Browns scored 17 or fewer points, tying a franchise record previously set in 1975. The Browns also became the first team since the 2000–2001 Arizona Cardinals to have such a streak.
Following the game, the Browns traded Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Week 6: at Pittsburgh Steelers
The Browns returned stateside for a Week 6 trip to Pittsburgh against the rival Steelers. Defense dominated the first half as neither team found the end zone. Pittsburgh took a 9–0 lead on a trio of Chris Boswell field goals, before Andre Szmyt connected on a field goal of his own to cut the Steelers' lead to 9–3 at halftime.
Pittsburgh scored the game's first touchdown in the middle of the third quarter on an Aaron Rodgers pass to Connor Heyward to take a 16–3 lead. Cleveland responded with a Szmyt field goal to make the score 16–6. The fourth quarter saw another Rodgers touchdown pass, this time to DK Metcalf, and another Szmyt field goal, to make the final score 23–9.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 1–5. It marked the team’s 22nd consecutive regular season loss in Pittsburgh. The Browns also set a franchise record 11th consecutive game scoring 17 or less points, surpassing the previous record set in 1975.
Week 7: vs. Miami Dolphins