For most of this year's hiring process, it became clear that the Cleveland Browns wanted to hire an offensive-minded head coach to replace Kevin Stefanski. It was probably the right thing to do, given the team's regression under Stefanski on that side of the ball.
The Browns' defense flirted with elite levels in the first and third year of the Jim Schwartz era, so Cleveland's former defensive coordinator also deserved a fair shot at the job. Per multiple reports, the Browns let all candidates know they preferred to keep Schwartz on the staff either way, and Todd Monken was on board.
That's why it was so disappointing to see Schwartz react the way he did when he didn't get the job. Instead of fulfilling his contractual obligations, he let emotions cloud his judgment.
Judging by his latest comments, he's still not over it.
“We had a lot of success on defense, and the Browns made a change at head coach and they passed over me, with all the success that we had and the ability to develop players," Schwartz told Ryan Ripken. "Our best players had their best years, all those different things. And that was the decision they made. They wanted to go with an offensive guy. They chose Todd. I’m fine with that.”
They can make, you know, decisions that they want to make. But they can’t expect me to stay on board for that. Anybody that’s in any business, you get passed over for a promotion, when you’ve done a really, really good job in your job, and you think you were in line for that promotion, it’s time to go."
Jim Schwartz's latest comments make Browns' coaching decision look even better
If anything, this only proves the Browns did the right thing. You can't have someone throwing tantrums on the sidelines or holding the team hostage, and it's not like Schwartz's previous stop as a head coach in Detroit ended with confetti.
Of course, he deserves plenty of credit for what he did as a coordinator. That part is undeniable. He helped elevate Myles Garrett to the highest level of his career.
With Schwartz at the helm, the Browns ranked first in yards allowed and second in defensive DVOA. They regressed to 23rd in 2024 before bouncing back last season, giving up the fourth-fewest yards per game.
Still, given the way things ended for Schwartz in Cleveland, it's also easy to understand why other teams hesitated to give him another chance before the Browns hired him three years ago. It also raises doubts about Garrett's exit.
Garrett's social media activity when the Browns hired Monken left plenty to be desired. He claimed it was due to Schwartz's departure, not related to the new head coach, but then refused to meet with Monken, offer him any words of encouragement, or voice his support for the new regime. Months later, he's a member of the Los Angeles Rams. It doesn't sound like a coincidence.
No one says Schwartz should have been happy about being passed over, but it's time to move on. He was among the NFL's top defensive coordinators, but the Browns were clearly eyeing a full makeover on offense. The fact that he had a chance to interview multiple times for their head coach job was a sign of how much respect he had earned in the building. It's not normal to see a team meddle to keep an assistant coach after firing the head coach.
If the Browns had their way, Schwartz would still be in Cleveland. It was his decision alone to leave.
Whether Todd Monken was the right man for the job is something only time will tell. The Browns did what they thought was best for the team at the time, and given how far behind the offense was in comparison to the defense, it's hard to argue with their logic (no matter how hard Schwartz tries).
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