Mike Rutenberg has never been a defensive coordinator before. Although he has worked in the NFL and earned the respect of important people, running the Cleveland Browns’ defense will be his first real chance to show what he can do on his own.
To suggest there will be a learning curve would be putting it lightly. Rutenberg is stepping into one of the most scrutinized roles on the Browns coaching staff, and he will be doing so while replacing Jim Schwartz, who was widely viewed as a stabilizing force for the defense.
Schwartz helped turn the Browns’ defense into one of the team’s biggest strengths.
If the Browns get off to a rough start, former Browns player Josh Cribbs wonders how much time Rutenberg will have before people will start to get concerned.
“The defense wasn’t an issue; that’s why they wanted to keep Schwartz. When you take a different guy, does he have a short leash because the defense was good? What if the first few games they’re a problem? Does that give him a short leash? Does he have big shoes to fill? If there’s any inkling of a problem, can you foresee an issue if he doesn’t come out doing well?” Cribbs said.
"The defense wasn't an issue, that's why they wanted to keep Schwartz." #DawgPound@JoshCribbs16 hopes Mike Rutenberg is able to earn the defense's respect like Jim Schwartz did.
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— The Top Dawgs Show (@TopDawgShow) February 24, 2026
There is both good and bad news for Rutenberg. The good news is that head coach Todd Monken believes in him, and he also wants him to simply carry forward the scheme run by Schwartz. Monken knows the team’s defense is its best asset, and he isn’t looking for radical change.
In other words, everything is laid out for Rutenberg; he just needs to implement it.
On top of that, the players want to win, and they likely understand that Rutenberg is coming into a difficult situation. They will likely strive to connect with him and give him the benefit of the doubt, at least for a while.
But that may not be the case for the fans and the media. If the Browns start next season with a defense that looks weaker than last year, the questions will immediately spring up. Cleveland’s defense was the bright light in a relatively dark season last year, and if it starts to dim, people will become concerned.
To Cribbs’ point, Rutenberg’s leash will probably be somewhat short in his first season as defensive coordinator, but they will likely give him some time to find his footing in such a high-pressure job.
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