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Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz watches the team warm up before an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Nov. 16, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ravens Complete Interview with Browns DC

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Jhelum Mehta | Last updated Jan 14, 2026 12:44 PM ET

For the first time in 18 seasons, the Baltimore Ravens are heading into the season with a brand-new voice in the headset. Owner Steve Bisciotti stunned the league by pulling the plug on longtime head coach John Harbaugh, finally hitting reset after years of playoff heartbreak—and a season that didn’t even make it to the playoffs.

Baltimore isn’t wasting any time on the coaching carousel either. The Ravens have already kicked the tires on Kevin Stefanski as a potential replacement. And he’s not the only name coming from the 2025 Cleveland Browns brain trust on their radar.

Enter Jim Schwartz — a Baltimore native and a familiar headache for the Ravens after seeing his defenses twice a year in the AFC North. With deep division intel and a reputation for tough, playoff-ready defenses, Schwartz checks a lot of boxes as Baltimore looks to reboot its identity and get back to playing meaningful football in January.

Ravens Add Jim Schwartz to Coaching Carousel

With both sidelines still missing a shot-caller, the Baltimore Ravens just checked off another box on the coaching carousel. Baltimore wrapped up its ninth head-coaching interview, sitting down with the mastermind behind Cleveland’s nasty defense, Jim Schwartz, as per Adam Schefter on X.

Ravens now have completed an interview with Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz for their head coach position. pic.twitter.com/NpjdcjRJl5
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 14, 2026

Cleveland, meanwhile, hit reset by firing Kevin Stefanski after six seasons and a 36–58 run. Despite being a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year, the Browns went just 8–26 over the past two seasons, forcing ownership to blow it up.

Schwartz already interviewed for Cleveland’s own HC opening last week, but this Ravens meeting marks the first time an outside team has come calling. And make no mistake — the Browns don’t want to let him walk.

Owner Jimmy Haslam didn’t mince words, saying “absolutely” when asked if the team wants to keep Schwartz, either as head coach or DC. “He’s a great coach,” Haslam said — and the locker room backs it up. Cleveland finished fourth in the NFL in yards allowed this season, with Myles Garrett going full cheat code mode, piling up 23 sacks and breaking the NFL single-season record.

Zoom out and the résumé pops even more. Over three seasons in Cleveland, Schwartz’s defense led the league in total defense in 2023 and stayed elite again in 2025. That’s the kind of unit that wins games in January.

As for Baltimore, the reset button has been fully smashed. The Ravens fired Jim Harbaugh on Tuesday night after an 18-year run that included 12 playoff trips. Since then, the interview list has been stacked: Vance Joseph, Davis Webb, Klint Kubiak, Stefanski, Matt Nagy, Kliff Kingsbury, Anthony Weaver, Brian Flores and now Schwartz.

Bottom line: Baltimore is casting a wide net—and if defense still wins championships, Jim Schwartz just made a strong case to be the guy holding the headset.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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