CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Tennessee Titans senior defensive assistant Jim Schwartz was first up Wednesday as the Browns began the interview process for defensive coordinator.
Schwartz, a former personnel scout for the Browns from 1993-1995, has held that position three different times – with Tennessee from 2001-2008, Buffalo in 2014 and Philadelphia from 2016-2020.
Schwartz also spent five years as head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2009-2013 where he led them to the playoffs in his third season with a 10-6 finish in 2011.
In addition to inheriting an 0-16 Lions team and ending an 11-year playoff drought, Schwartz won the Super Bowl in 2018 with the Eagles.
Browns executive vice president of football operations and general manager Andrew Berry got to see Schwartz at work in 2019 when Berry worked in Philadelphia.
Schwartz entered the NFL coaching ranks with the move to Baltimore in 1996 as the Ravens outside linebackers coach. Aside from his stint in Detroit, Schwartz has spent his NFL career working on the defensive side of the football.
The Browns requested to interview three other candidates – Steelers senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach Brian Flores, Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo and Seahawks associate head coach and defensive assistant Sean Desai.
Flores is expected to interview on Thursday.
The Browns fired defensive coordinator Joe Woods on Monday, a day after the team finished a disappointing 7-10 season that saw the defense struggle with communication, stopping the run and breakdowns in the secondary.
