Browns Hire Jim Schwartz as Defensive Coordinator

According to NFL.com, the Cleveland Browns have hired Jim Schwartz as their new defensive coordinator.

Schwartz replaces the recently fired Joe Woods, whose defense finished the year ranked 20th in points allowed (22.4 PPG). The Browns were particularly poor on the ground, surrendering the eighth-most rushing yards per contest at 135.0.

Schwartz returns to Cleveland, where he began his NFL career as a personal scout under Bill Belichick from 1993-1995.

The 56-year-old was named defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans in 2001, a position he held for eight seasons. Schwartz was able to parlay his success in Nashville into the Detroit Lions head coaching job, compiling a 29-51 record over five seasons, including one playoff berth.

The Georgetown alum has also enjoyed defensive coordinator stints with the Buffalo Bills (2014) and Philadelphia Eagles (2016-2020), winning a Super Bowl with the latter in 2018. He most recently served as a senior defensive assistant for the Tennessee Titans (2021-22).

Schwartz beat out fellow candidates Brian Flores of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle’s Sean Desai, and Philadelphia’s Dennard Wilson. 

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