Kevin Stefanski, who led Cleveland to a 11-5 record and the franchise’s first playoff berth since the 2002 season in his first season as Browns head coach, was selected as the 2020 NFL Coach of the Year, chosen in voting conducted by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane, whose moves helped the Bills earned the franchise’s first division title since 1995 and the AFC’s No. 2 seed, was selected as the 2020 NFL Executive of the Year.
Buffalo offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who oversaw the NFL’s No. 2-ranked offense and the development of quarterback Josh Allen, was selected as the 2020 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year.
The Browns posted a 11-5 record, the club’s best since it returned to Cleveland in 1999 behind an explosive offensive unit. Thanks to three players on the PFWA’s All-NFL team: guard Joel Bitonio, offensive tackle Jack Conklin and defensive end Myles Garrett, All-AFC running back Nick Chubb and All-Rookie team members Harrison Bryant at tight end and offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., the Browns earned the AFC’s No. 6 seed. The Browns scored 408 points, the second most in franchise history, rushed for 148.4 yards per game, which was third in the NFL and the most by a Cleveland team since 1978 and the defense had 21 takeaways, including four games with at least three takeaways. Stefanski posted the best record among new NFL head coaches in 2020, and the 11 victories were the most for a first-year Browns head coach since Paul Brown (12 in 1946).
This is the first PFWA Coach of the Year honor for Stefanski, and the second Coach of the Year honor for the Browns’ franchise. Marty Schottenheimer won the AFC award in 1986.
Beane oversaw a Bills’ resurgence since he took over as Buffalo’s general manager in 2017. The Bills qualified for the AFC playoffs in three of his first four years as GM, including the club’s first AFC East title in 25 years in 2020 as the team posted a 13-3 record for the AFC’s No. 2 seed. Beane engineered several trades that resulted in the club selecting quarterback Josh Allen with the seventh overall selection and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds 16th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. During the 2020 offseason, he negotiated a trade with Minnesota to acquire wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who earned PFWA All-NFL and All-AFC honors, and added several other free agents to fortify Buffalo’s defense and special teams. The Bills put together win streaks of six, four and three games to win the division by three games.
This is the first PFWA Executive of the Year honor for Beane, and the first Executive of the Year honor for the Bills since the award was established in 1993.
Daboll joined the Bills as the club’s offensive coordinator in 2018. Under the 20-year NFL coaching veteran, the Bills set a franchise record with 501 points during the regular season. The Bills increased their points per game by 11.7 in 2020, which was the biggest increase in the league from 2019. Buffalo was second in the NFL in points per game at 31.3 and tied for second in yards per game at 396.4. The Bills, behind quarterback Josh Allen and a talented skill position group, was third in passing yards per game at 288.8. Allen became the first NFL QB with at least 4,500 passing yards, 35 TD passes and five rushing TDs in a season, and wide receiver Stefon Diggs set franchise records with a league-leading 1,535 yards and 127 receptions on the way to PFWA All-NFL and All-AFC honors.
Daboll is the first Bills assistant to win the PFWA award established in 1993.
2020 COACH OF THE YEAR: Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
2020 EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR: Brandon Beane, Buffalo Bills
2020 ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR: Brian Daboll, Buffalo Bills
PFWA NFL COACH OF THE YEAR: 1966 – Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys; 1967 AFL – John Rauch, Oakland Raiders; 1967 NFL – Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers; 1968 AFL – Weeb Ewbank, New York Jets; 1968 NFL – Don Shula, Baltimore Colts; 1969 AFL – John Madden, Oakland Raiders; 1969 NFL – Bud Grant, Minnesota Vikings; 1970 AFC – Paul Brown, Cincinnati Bengals; 1970 NFC – Dick Nolan, San Francisco 49ers; 1971 AFC – Don Shula, Miami Dolphins; 1971 NFC – George Allen, Washington Redskins; 1972 AFC – Don Shula, Miami Dolphins; 1972 NFC – Dan Devine, Green Bay Packers; 1973 AFC – John Ralston, Denver Broncos; 1973 NFC – Chuck Knox, Los Angeles Rams; 1974 AFC – Sid Gilman, Houston Oilers; 1974 NFC – Don Coryell, St. Louis Cardinals; 1975 AFC – Ted Marchibroda, Baltimore Colts; 1975 NFC – Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys; 1976 AFC – Chuck Fairbanks, New England Patriots; 1976 NFC – Jack Pardee, Chicago Bears; 1977 AFC – Red Miller, Denver Broncos; 1977 NFC – Leeman Bennett, Atlanta Falcons; 1978 AFC – Walt Michaels, New York Jets; 1978 NFC – Dick Vermeil, Philadelphia Eagles; 1979 AFC – Don Coryell, San Diego Chargers; 1979 NFC – Dick Vermeil, Philadelphia Eagles; 1980 AFC – Chuck Knox, Buffalo Bills; 1980 NFC – Leeman Bennett, Atlanta Falcons; 1981 AFC – Forrest Gregg, Cincinnati Bengals; 1981 NFC – Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers; 1982 AFC – Tom Flores, Los Angeles Raiders; 1982 NFC – Joe Gibbs, Washington Redskins; 1983 AFC – Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers; 1983 NFC – Joe Gibbs, Washington Redskins; 1984 AFC – Chuck Knox, Seattle Seahawks; 1984 NFC – Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers; 1985 AFC – Raymond Berry, New England Patriots; 1985 NFC – Mike Ditka, Chicago Bears; 1986 AFC – Marty Schottenheimer, Cleveland Browns; 1986 NFC – Bill Parcells, New York Giants; 1987 AFC – Ron Meyer, New England Patriots; 1987 NFC – Jim Mora, New Orleans Saints; 1988 AFC – Sam Wyche, Cincinnati Bengals; 1988 NFC – Mike Ditka, Chicago Bears; 1989 AFC – Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers; 1989 NFC – Lindy Infante, Green Bay Packers; 1990 – Art Shell, Los Angeles Raiders; 1991 – Wayne Fontes, Detroit Lions; 1992 – Bobby Ross, San Diego Chargers; 1993 – Dan Reeves, New York Giants; 1994 – Bill Parcells, New England Patriots; 1995 – Dom Capers, Carolina Panthers; 1996 – Dom Capers, Carolina Panthers; 1997 – Jim Fassel, New York Giants; 1998 – Dan Reeves, Atlanta Falcons; 1999 – Dick Vermeil, St. Louis Rams; 2000 – Jim Haslett, New Orleans Saints; 2001 – Dick Jauron, Chicago Bears; 2002 – Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles; 2003 – Bill Belichick, New England Patriots; 2004 – Marty Schottenheimer, San Diego Chargers; 2005 – Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears; 2006 – Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints; 2007 – Bill Belichick, New England Patriots; 2008 – Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins; 2009 – Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals; 2010 – Bill Belichick, New England Patriots; 2011 – Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco 49ers; 2012 – Bruce Arians, Indianapolis Colts; 2013 – Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers; 2014 – Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals; 2015 – Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers; 2016 – Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys; 2017 – Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams; 2018 – Matt Nagy, Chicago Bears; 2019 – John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens; 2020 – Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns.
PFWA EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR: 1993 – George Young, New York Giants; 1994 – Carmen Policy, San Francisco 49ers; 1995 – Bill Polian, Carolina Panthers; 1996 – Bill Polian, Carolina Panthers; 1997 – George Young, New York Giants; 1998 – Front Office, Minnesota Vikings; 1999 – Bill Polian, Indianapolis Colts; 2000 – Randy Mueller, New Orleans Saints; 2001 – Charley Armey, St. Louis Rams; 2002 – Al Davis, Oakland Raiders; 2003 – Scott Pioli, New England Patriots; 2004 – A.J. Smith, San Diego Chargers; 2005 – Bill Polian, Indianapolis Colts; 2006 – Mickey Loomis, New Orleans Saints; 2007 – Scott Pioli, New England Patriots; 2008 – Bill Parcells, Miami Dolphins; 2009 – Bill Polian, Indianapolis Colts; 2010 – Scott Pioli, Kansas City Chiefs; 2011 – Trent Baalke, San Francisco 49ers; 2012 – Ryan Grigson, Indianapolis Colts; 2013 – John Dorsey, Kansas City Chiefs; 2014 – Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys; 2015 – Mike Maccagnan, New York Jets; 2016 – Reggie McKenzie, Oakland Raiders; 2017 – Howie Roseman, Philadelphia Eagles; 2018 – Chris Ballard, Indianapolis Colts; 2019 – John Lynch, San Francisco 49ers; 2020 – Brandon Beane, Buffalo Bills.
PFWA ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR: 1993 – Ray Rhodes, Green Bay Packers; 1994 – Dom Capers, Pittsburgh Steelers; 1995 – Pete Carroll, San Francisco 49ers; 1996 – Dave Campo, Dallas Cowboys; 1997 – John Fox, New York Giants; 1998 – Brian Billick, Minnesota Vikings; 1999 – Dom Capers, Jacksonville Jaguars; 2000 – Marvin Lewis, Baltimore Ravens; 2001 – Mike Mularkey, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2002 – Monte Kiffin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 2003 – Romeo Crennel, New England Patriots; 2004 – Dick LeBeau, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2005 – Ron Rivera, Chicago Bears; 2006 – Rex Ryan, Baltimore Ravens; 2007 – Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys; 2008 – Dick LeBeau, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2009 – Mike Zimmer, Cincinnati Bengals; 2010 – Marty Mornhinweg, Philadelphia Eagles; 2011 – Wade Phillips, Houston Texans; 2012 – Bruce Arians, Indianapolis Colts; 2013 – Ken Whisenhunt, San Diego Chargers; 2014 – Todd Bowles, Arizona Cardinals; 2015 – (tie) Hue Jackson, Cincinnati Bengals and Wade Phillips, Denver Broncos; 2016 – Kyle Shanahan, Atlanta Falcons; 2017– Pat Shurmur, Minnesota Vikings; 2018– Vic Fangio, Chicago Bears; 2019 – Greg Roman, Baltimore Ravens; 2020 – Brian Daboll, Buffalo Bills.