With the Kevin Stefanski decision now behind us, fans of the Cleveland Browns can only brace for some uncomfortable days ahead.
In the NFL, head coach firings typically come with a complete overhaul of the coaching staff, with the new hire in charge of deciding who stays and who goes. That means the Browns could soon find themselves in quite the pickle, as retaining respected assistants and coordinators like Jim Schwartz and Tommy Rees is now no guarantee.
Most Browns fans would agree that Schwartz, who initially interviewed for Cleveland's HC job back in 2020, deserves to be on general manager Andrew Berry’s short list of candidates after leading the Browns’ defense to elite heights in recent seasons. Schwartz will turn 60 this summer, though, and while the front office isn’t ruling anything out, Cleveland’s upcoming search could send Schwartz elsewhere as arguably the best defensive coordinator on the market.
Schwartz should have options, too, as the annual coaching carousel makes its rounds in the coming weeks. Browns fans are already bracing for Schwartz to get poached by Stefanski, who is already being courted by multiple teams, per ESPN's Adam Schefter,
Then again, Schwartz might not be interested in joining another rebuilding team outside of Cleveland. If head coach opportunities aren’t in the cards during this hiring cycle, it’s easy to see him pivoting to a contending team — like Mike Vrabel’s New England Patriots — that may be a defensive coordinator away from competing for Super Bowls.
Patriots writer can’t ignore the signs linking Jim Schwartz to New England
Schwartz has a strong connection to Vrabel, spending two years with him in Tennessee as a senior defensive assistant before the two were reunited in 2024 on Kevin Stefanski’s staff in Cleveland.
The Patriots could be in the market for a defensive coordinator in 2026, with the man Vrabel brought to Foxboro this offseason, Terrell Williams, currently away from the team amid a battle with cancer. Inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr has assumed the majority of Williams’ duties on an interim basis this year, but that’s a spot Vrabel could look to address this coming offseason, according to beat reporter Evan Lazar.
With the Browns moving on from Stefanski, I wouldn’t be surprised if some Cleveland coaches join the #Patriots staff in the future.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) January 5, 2026
Browns DC Jim Schwartz is one to watch. He was a senior advisor for Vrabel in Tennessee.
Schwartz’s credentials speak for themselves, especially recently with his Browns teams routinely ranking among the best units in football. That’s even more impressive when you consider the Browns’ 8-26 record over the past two seasons.
Cleveland’s process will likely take time, as you could argue their front office and salary cap situation is the worst of the now six head coach openings across the league. That puts the Browns in an almost impossible situation with Schwartz, whose demand figures to rise as the upcoming NFL playoffs progress.