Browns DC Jim Schwartz Talks About his Defense he's Bringing, Gives Credit to two Coaching Legends for his Start

Cleveland Browns new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz spoke for the first time as a part of the organization.

Brandon Little | Jan 18, 2023

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Cleveland Browns introduced their new defensive coordinator on Wednesday afternoon. Jim Schwartz was recently hired to replace Joe Woods following the down 7-10 season the Browns had. Schwartz wasted no time getting the attention of fans and viewers of the press conference.

Schwartz got his NFL coaching career started as a personnel scout with the Browns in 1993 and was with the team until 1995 in that role. During that time he worked with both Nick Saban and Bill Belichick, and we know the career those two have had. Cleveland's newest defensive coordinator said that he gained invaluable knowledge from those two that set him up for his career. By the end of his third year with the Browns he admitted he only made $20,000, but it was about everything else he learned.

"The years that I spent here was the basis for everything that happened to me later," said Schwartz.

For the last couple of years, Schwartz has served as a defensive assistant with the Tennessee Titans. That is far from his role as a coordinator that he is known for. A thyroid issue kept Schwartz away from full-on football duties for a bit, he revealed.

When it comes to working with head coach Kevin Stefanski, Schwartz sees something similar between the two.

"My attraction (with Stefanski), we came up the same way in the NFL. He started at the bottom as I did. When it came time for him to be a coordinator, and head coach, he shined," said Schwartz.

An important note in the acquisition of Schwartz is that he brings head coaching experience to the staff. It will be a boost to everyone around, including Stefanski.

When it comes to running the defense, that's why Schwartz is around. He has plans for the defensive line to lead the way, which obviously starts with superstar defensive end Myles Garrett.

"You can still win one-on-one on a pass rush. A devastating pass rush goes a long way. You start blitzing on your terms.

“I’ve been blessed to coach some very good defensive linemen in my career. We run a very defensive lineman-friendly scheme.”

Overall, the plan is for the defense to be flying around according to Schwartz.

"The thing I've taken the most pride from is when people say we play fast and aggressive. If you see our linebackers here, if I'm doing a good job, they are playing fast and physical and there's not a lot of hesitation in their play."

Connecting with players is a big part of winning over any locker room, having a bunch of guys play hard for their coach. It's a different animal in the NFL, guys do this to feed their families.

"I think that all starts with trust. If you can help, they'll listen. Establishing trust is job one. Being able to put things they do in perspective. I think that that kind of communication is important when it comes to dealing with players."

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