The Cleveland Browns worked hard to retain their defensive coordinator, despite passing him over for head coach, but that saga came to an end.
The Cleveland Browns tried to have their cake and eat it too when it came to their defensive coordinator, but that all came to an end. After passing over DC Jim Schwartz for the head coaching job, despite wanting to retain him, Schwartz resigned from the Browns on Friday. Now, new head coach Todd Monken is without a coordinator, with much of the hiring market already picked apart – though one hopes they anticipated this possibility. Schwartz now may have to sit out the 2026 season, as he’s still under contract for one more year in Cleveland. It was the second time Schwartz was passed up for the head coaching job, losing out to Kevin Stefanski in 2020.
The Browns defense was one of the bright spots in a sore season. Cleveland has allowed the fewest yards in the NFL since 2023. Myles Garrett broke the single-season sack record this season and won his second Defensive Player of the Year award on Thursday night. Garrett has spoken of how much he loves playing for Schwartz. Garrett requested a trade last February, but he signed a four-year, $123 million extension in March.
Here is the full story from Browns Roundtable writer Ashish Mathur on the unfortunate departure.
Schwartz has been in the league since 1993 and was the coach of the Detroit Lions from 2009 to 2013, where he went 29-51. He’d been with the Browns since 2023. Now, Monken will have to find his replacement, though it’s an attractive unit to coach, headlined by a superstar in Myles Garrett.