It’s been a methodical start to the Cleveland Browns’ search for a head coach, with the team’s first wave of candidates including Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Arden Durde, and Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher.
The team will also reportedly interview internal candidates Jim Schwartz and Tommy Rees on Thursday, but as of Wednesday evening, the Browns hadn’t exactly assembled an all-star candidate list for their fans to get excited about.
The name likely jumping off the list for Browns fans is Schwartz, who’s coordinated one of the NFL’s best defenses over his three years in Cleveland. Cornerstone vets like Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward have been effusive with their praise of Schwartz, who’s nearing his 60th birthday and said he was interested in a second head coach opportunity earlier this year.
One major source of worry for fans, however, has been: What if general manager Andrew Berry opts to hire an outside candidate as head coach? Would Schwartz want to stay if he’s passed over for the HC job on his own team? Would the new hire want to keep him as defensive coordinator? Would Schwartz look to ditch the situation entirely and join a contending team for 2026?
All of those questions were conveniently answered by ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler on Wednesday, giving the Dawg Pound faithful a reason to breathe easy (for now).
Cleveland could block DC Jim Schwartz from leaving for a lateral move, due to his contract
It’s no secret that the Browns want to keep their coordinators in some capacity, but both Rees and Schwartz are currently at the mercy of the hiring process. It’s definitely possible that one of them gets promoted to head coach; if not, all coaching staff decisions will end with the new hire, and the top candidates — like John Harbaugh — definitely enter the interview process with preferred coordinators in mind, based on scheme, philosophy, etc.
According to Fowler, Schwartz is currently under contract with Cleveland through at least the 2026 season, meaning the Browns could block their defensive coordinator from, for example, speaking with old friend Mike Vrabel’s New England Patriots for a job, so long as it’s not for a promotion.
“The Browns could pair a gifted defensive coordinator in Schwartz with an offensive-minded head coach," Fowler wrote for ESPN. "Schwartz is under contract for 2026, so Cleveland has the ability to block coordinator suitors. He can leave for a head coaching job, of course. But Cleveland is in position to keep the core of a fourth-ranked defense in place with Schwartz, who will likely interview for Cleveland's head job, too.”
Let’s not get the Browns in trouble for something they didn’t do, but if Schwartz gets the feeling that he’s not seriously in the running for the HC job, and wants to explore other opportunities, it would be a terrible look if Cleveland interfered with that process. It's their right to retain him, as he’s under contract, but there’s also no guarantee that the next head coach will be fully on board.
If not Schwartz, perhaps the Browns will seek a young, offensive-minded coach — like the 39-year-old Pitcher — and negotiate to retain Schwartz on their own behalf, like in an assistant head coach type of role. It’s all a complex situation, especially this early in the process, and it will only get more interesting if the Browns opt not to promote their DC to head coach.