The Cleveland Browns may have officially turned the page to Todd Monken as their new head coach, but one of the biggest lingering questions around Cleveland now centers on the future of Jim Schwartz.
And according to longtime insider Albert Breer, it would not be surprising if Schwartz ultimately decides that his time in Cleveland is over.
Speaking recently about the situation, Breer offered a candid and human perspective on why the veteran defensive coordinator could be ready to walk away.
“I think it’s understandable,” Breer said. “People have said that he’s stomping around and acting like a baby. Maybe. But I also look at it like this: if you’re 58 years old and you want to be a head coach again, and you’re working for an organization that doesn’t see you that way, then I can see how it gets to the point where it’s like, well, maybe it’s just time for all of us to move on.”
Around the league, Schwartz has built a reputation as one of the most respected defensive minds in the game.
So when Cleveland conducted its head coaching search and ultimately chose an offense-minded candidate in Monken, it sent a clear message about the direction of the franchise.
The Browns want the offense fixed first.
From a team-building standpoint, that logic makes sense. Cleveland struggled to score, lacked consistency at quarterback, and needed a fresh vision on that side of the ball. Monken was hired to modernize and stabilize the offense.
But from Schwartz’s perspective, it is easy to understand why this might sting.
Browns fans know what Schwartz brings to the table. Discipline. Physicality. Identity. His defenses played fast and tough every week.
The ball is now in Schwartz’s court. Stay and work under Monken, or pursue another opportunity where he might have a clearer path to running his own team again.
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