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Will Browns DC Jim Schwartz Pursue A Head Coaching Job This Offseason?

Originally posted on Cleveland Browns on SI
By Spencer German | Last updated Jan 4, 2024 11:44 AM ET

The Browns defense currently leads the league in yards allowed per game, passing yards allowed per game and defensive EPA. They're top 10 in a number of other categories like interceptions, rushing yards allowed per game and sacks.

It's been a bounce back season for that unit under new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. And their dominance on that side of the ball is one of the main reasons Cleveland is 11-5 and playoff bound for just the third time this century.

Those types of numbers won't go unnoticed – even if Browns fans want them to – and so speculation has been percolating for weeks now that Schwartz could be in line for some head coaching interviews this offseason. On Thursday, he answered questions for the first time about a potential head coach pursuit and while he showed plenty of love for Cleveland, he didn't totally slam the door on it.

"I'm really happy here," Schwartz began. "I've talked about Kevin, I haven't really talked about [general manager] Andrew Berry, the Haslams, but I love this organization. I love the city of Cleveland. That was such a great atmosphere [Thursday]. 31 years in the NFL, that was one of my top five atmosphere.

#Browns DC Jim Schwratz: I"m really happy here. I love the organization. I love the city. Thursday night was probably one of the top 5 atmospheres of my career.

Any job that you do, you always aspire to be the top of the profession and I'm no different there.
— (@Spencito_) January 4, 2024

"But I'd say this, any job that you do, you always aspire to be top of that profession and I'm no different there."

Schwartz, of course, tried his hand at being a head coach once before from 2009-2013 with the Detroit Lions, leading the dilapidated franchise to the playoffs for the first time in over a decade at the the time, in 2011. Two seasons later, Schwartz was let go though, following a 7-9 campaign.

He returned to the sidelines in his normal post as a defensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills one year later, eventually joining the Eagles staff in 2016 under then head coach Doug Pederson, where eventually led Philadelphia's defense to a Super Bowl in 2018.

Schwartz is only in his first year as defensive coordinator here in Cleveland but his impact on that side of the ball has been evident as he turned around a Browns unit that was one of the league's worst a season ago.

Whether or not Schwartz garners serious consideration from teams looking to fill head coaching vacancies this season remains to be seen. There are already three openings available in the Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers, with a potentially record more expected come Monday after the regular season comes to a close.

At the very least the, the 57-year-old isn't ruling out a return to the head coaching ranks, despite loving his current situation.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Browns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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