The NFL introduced gold shields on jerseys last year to recognize the previous season’s biggest individual award winners, and that small but prestigious detail now belongs to a Browns rookie heading into 2026. Carson Schwesinger turned in a standout debut season in Cleveland, and the league has officially acknowledged it in a way that puts him in the same company as some of the most accomplished players in football.
Mike Florio detailed which players will be wearing the gold shields this season and why Schwesinger made the cut.
“The gold shields go to the reigning NFL MVP, the offensive player of the year, the defensive player of the year, the offensive rookie of the year, and the defensive rookie of the year. This year, the five awards that will be acknowledged with gold shields were won by Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith Njigba, then Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan, and Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger,” Florio wrote.
Being included on a list with names like Stafford and McMillan is a significant marker for any player, let alone a linebacker who was still working his way into a starting role at the beginning of last season. Schwesinger earned the Defensive Rookie of the Year award for his 2025 campaign, a credit to how quickly he developed instincts and physical play that translate well to the professional level. Gold shields are reserved exclusively for the biggest individual honors in the sport, and seeing a Browns defender represented among that group is a rare bright spot from a season that otherwise produced plenty of frustration in Cleveland.
There is an interesting layer to this story involving Garrett as well. Had he remained in Cleveland, the Browns would have had two defensive players wearing gold shields this season, a remarkable distinction for any single roster. Instead, Garrett’s trade to the Rams means Los Angeles ends up with two gold shield players of its own in Stafford and Garrett, while Cleveland still gets to claim Schwesinger.
As Cleveland transitions into a new era defensively following the departure of Garrett, having a player like Schwesinger already established as one of the most decorated young defenders in the sport gives the unit a foundation to build around.
Recognition like this does not change what happens on the field in 2026, but it serves as a reminder of the talent already in place in Cleveland.
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