The Cleveland Browns had to be hoping that all of their coaching drama would be behind them once they named Todd Monken as their new head coach. With Jim Schwartz still under contract, the pairing of the offensive-minded veteran with one of the NFL’s best defensive coordinators could have been a formidable combination.
However, the Browns may have underestimated how much Schwartz wanted the top job, especially after he became one of the two remaining finalists. The 59-year-old was so angered by being passed over that he reportedly no longer wants to work for the organization.
Surprisingly, there hasn’t been a resolution to the situation as of yet. Monken is building out his offensive staff, but the defensive side of the ball remains stagnant, for now.
The players have obviously taken notice, and Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward recently made his stance clear about Schwartz, saying he’ll be “happy” if he stays with the Browns.
“I’m not sure what was true or was not true, so I’m not going to speculate. I’m just going to wait to see how everything plays out and look forward to, hopefully we’re still keeping him. I’ve got a lot of respect for Coach Schwartz, and he’s an amazing coach, and I’m hoping he stays on the team,” Ward said. “I’m hoping coach Schwartz stays. That’s what I’m hoping. That’s who I want to stay. I want coach Schwartz to be my defensive coordinator, and if we can make that happen, I’ll be happy.”
Ward is likely one of many players who share that sentiment. In the past three seasons with Schwartz as their coordinator, the Browns’ defense has been among the best in the NFL, ranking first in 2023 and fourth this season.
That, in turn, led to standout individual performances. Under Schwartz, Ward has earned three straight Pro Bowl selections and extended his streak of having at least one interception in all of his eight NFL seasons.
In addition, in 2025, defensive end Myles Garrett broke the NFL record for sacks in a season and is likely to win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Linebacker Carson Schwesinger is also in line to win Defensive Rookie of the Year after his excellent first season.
That would seem to be a legitimate list of credentials to have gotten Schwartz the head coaching job within the organization. However, the Browns turned to the division rival Baltimore Ravens instead and made Monken one of the oldest first-time head coaches in NFL history, which may have added to the bad feelings.
Hopefully, this saga will be resolved soon, with Ward and his teammates learning the fate of their preferred coordinator.
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