Insider’s 2-word update on Jim Schwartz has Browns fans living in a nightmare

Jim Schwartz is reportedly upset over losing the Cleveland Browns’ head coach job to Todd Monken.

Because of course he is.

The Browns’ highly anticipated decision in Week 4 of their search came completely out of left field. Most had Monken pegged for the New York Giants as John Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator. In the end, he checked two major boxes for owner Jimmy Haslam — as the team’s most experienced candidate with an offensive background.

You don’t need to zoom in to see Haslam’s master plan. With Schwartz under contract through the 2026 season, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Browns have the authority to block him from other defensive coordinator jobs. The team obviously could’ve fast-tracked him into Kevin Stefanski’s old office at the end of the season, but with his defense already performing among the NFL’s best, why not find another Jim Schwartz type to oversee the offense?

Unfortunately, Haslam’s not about to have his cake and eat it, too. Schwartz might’ve been the most qualified of any coach the Browns interviewed over the last three-plus weeks, and it should surprise absolutely no one that he’s not happy with the team’s decision.

In fact, he might already be packing up his office. According to FOX Sports insider Jordan Schultz, there’s “no chance” Schwartz remains with the Browns as Monken’s DC.

Browns fans could revolt if Jim Schwartz really walks after head coach snub

There’s still time for the Browns to repair their relationship with Schwartz. He’s under contract, so unless he retires or finds a promotion, like as an assistant head coach, he’s stuck in Berea for at least another season.

As Browns fans learned last year with the Myles Garrett trade request fiasco, money fixes everything. Haslam should, in theory, be able to give Schwartz some sort of pay bump to keep him on the staff, which has been the team’s hope all along.

But there’s a reason why the Browns are widely viewed as one of the most dysfunctional in the NFL, and it all starts at the top. From the team’s meandering head coach search, to the constant conflicting reports, to some drama around compliance with the league’s well-known Rooney Rule, the Browns haven’t exactly projected themselves as a well-run organization that has its act together.

The harsh reality here is that Schwartz’s chances of landing the job got smaller the closer we got to February. The Browns could’ve easily fast-tracked Schwartz into the position if he was clearly their guy. That he still wasn’t being offered the job after more than three weeks of candidate interviews hints at an internal disagreement; no one should question Schwartz’s leadership, but he’s been a prominent voice in the locker room for the past three seasons, including the team’s 8-26 stretch from 2024-25, and that’s an impossible fact to ignore.

The Monken hire might feel underwhelming, but spending 23 days getting fans’ hopes up over some intriguing candidates, only to circle all the way back to Schwartz, the man who’s been in the building all along, would've hit in similar fasion.

This is just another Jimmy Haslam special — and Browns fans better hope that his deep pockets can help keep Schwartz from foiling his owner's master plan altogether.