7:08 AM ET

According to a league source, Joe Woods was fired by the ClevelandBrowns on Monday morning.

Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers was the final game of the season for the Browns.

Woods had been the head coach of the Cleveland defense.

In Woods' first season, the Cleveland Browns won their first playoff game in 26 years and advanced to the playoffs for the first time in seven years.

Slow starts hampered the defense over the last two seasons. In the middle of October, Cleveland was ranked 31st in defensive efficiency.

The run defense was a problem for the team. Cleveland was the last team in the league in defensive total rush expected points added.

The second half of the season saw Cleveland's defense improve as the team finished 20th in defensive efficiency. It wasn't enough to save Woods or keep Cleveland in the playoffs.

Woods was the defensive backs coach for the San Francisco 49ers when they made it to the Super Bowl. He was the defensive coach for the Broncos in the last two years.