KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Cleveland Browns' playoff win over their rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday featured everything.
Scoring, turnovers, drama and a historic win for a dismal franchise.
There was just one thing missing: the head coach.
"I don't plan on doing that again," Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said.
Stefanski contracted COVID-19 before the NFL's Super Wild Card Round, forcing him to miss his team's first postseason win in a generation.
"He's probably going crazy with it," Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. "That's not easy to do, although he probably got a jump on watching some tape on us."
Reid is referring to the Browns racing out to a 28-0 first quarter lead on the Steelers and, despite some late Pittsburgh scores, controlling the game throughout.
Stefanski watched from home and couldn't have any contact with his team. He said he turned his phone off, did a lot of pacing and a bunch of other nervous habits.
But he didn't do any stress eating.
"I can't taste anything so that wouldn't have helped," Stefanski joked. "But I have a newfound respect for all of our fans and how they watch those games."
"I like it better when I have some control."
Reid has been around for all 16 Chiefs games this season, but he knows the wire all coaches and players are walking.
"It's the ultimate game of dodgeball," Reid said, referring to COVID-19. "You're trying to dodge (it) the best you can. And you do the things you're supposed to do so you don't get it and the guys don't get it."
The Browns say that Stefanski is on track to rejoin the team ahead of their trip to Kansas City to play the Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round on Sunday.