When head coach Paul Brown was running things, the standard — the only acceptable standard — for the Browns was winning it all, a league championship.

But I have a hard time figuring out the standard for the current Browns. It is nowhere close to that of the Man from Massillon.

Since head coach Kevin Stefanski and General Manager Andrew Berry were paired together in 2020, the Browns have, in nearly five full seasons:

*Made the playoffs just twice, both times as a wild card, going 1-2 in postseason games and never advancing past the divisional round.

*Finished with a winning record only twice, in those playoff years.

*Posted a regular-season record of 40-39, and an overall mark, including the postseason, of 41-41.

*Placed second and third, and fourth (last) three times, including this year.

*Compiled an overall record of 18-28 in the three seasons in which they did not make the playoffs.

This isn’t just mediocrity, but rather mediocre mediocrity, if there is such a thing. 

Yet, despite that less-than-scintillating resume, and the fact the duo messed up royally on the Deshaun Watson trade to the point it has severely harmed the organization in a way that has never been seen in club history, it appears that Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam will retain both Stefanski and Berry for at least 2025.

Why?

Indeed, on the surface, it is frustrating for the fans. This is certainly not at all what they were expecting when they fought so hard to get the team back. It, really, is unacceptable.

But there’s more to the story, and it involves the team the Browns visit on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

To be continued.

Steve King