PHILADELPHIA – It was an historic weekend for University of Pennsylvania football alums in the National Football League. On Saturday evening, during the NFL Honors Awards show, Kevin Stefanski C'04 was named the Associated Press (AP) NFL Coach of the Year.

Stefanski led the Cleveland Browns to their first playoff appearance since 2002 and their first playoff victory in 26 years. He becomes the third first-year coach in the last four seasons to win the award and just the second Browns coach in history to earn the honor.

During the awards show, Stefanski delivered a video acceptance speech in which he touted the work of those around him within the organization.

"I'm incredibly humbled, especially given some of the coaching we've witnessed this season around the NFL," Stefanski said. "My name may be on this award, but I think this speaks to the amazing support I get day in and day out from my coaching staff with the Cleveland Browns. I'm very glad I don't have to do this by myself."

Stefanski earned similar recognition last month from both Sporting News and the Pro Football Writers of America. He is the first coach since 2017 to take home all three accolades in the same season.

The Browns finished the regular season with an 11-5 record. Stefanski's 11 regular-season wins were the most by any first-year head coach in 2020 and the Browns were the only team this season to make the playoffs with a first-year head coach.

Cleveland was one of just four teams in the league to not lose consecutive games during the year, and the Browns' 408 points were the second most in franchise history as they finished third in the league in rushing (148.4 yards per game).

Stefanski graduated with a communication degree from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2004 and was a three-year letter winner with the football team, in 2000, 2002 and 2004 when he was a tri-captain along with Dan Castles and Ric San Doval. A defensive back, Stefanski earned honorable mention All-Ivy in 2002 and 2004. During the five seasons that Stefanski was a player in the Penn program, the Quakers won three Ivy League titles. That included the 2003 season when Penn went undefeated (10-0).

Stefanski was the recipient of the program's Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2000, and in 2004 he was recipient of the program's George A. Weiss Award which is presented annually to the player whose spirit and play personifies "Pennsylvania kind of football."