After the Pittsburgh Steelers broke tradition by hiring Mike McCarthy as head coach, questions arose about how he would build his staff. Securing a strong defensive coordinator is critical to managing the team’s defense. Because McCarthy is offense-focused, the new coordinator will have full authority over the star-studded defensive unit.
The Cleveland Browns recently announced that former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken will take over as their head coach. The AFC North rival is known for making poor decisions, and Monken could be next up on their long list of poor choices. He heads into his first reign as head coach at the ripe old age of 59. Don't be shocked if Monken doesn't last in Cleveland.
One of the outcomes of this hire could be the murky future of Jim Schwartz and the Browns.
Schwartz has held the defensive coordinator role with the Browns since 2023 and was a finalist for their head coach vacancy. With Schwartz losing out on the HC position, he became visibly upset, and he reportedly said his goodbyes to the team, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported.
The Pittsburgh Steelers must go after Jim Schwartz to become their next defensive coordinator
Perhaps the biggest concern with hiring Schwartz is whether he will stick to the Steelers’ 3-4 defensive scheme. That is something Schwartz hasn't commonly used in his defenses during his time as a coach. That could always change, and providing a few alterations to Pittsburgh's schematics wouldn't be the end of the world.
He is a big name and would be a massive splash hire by McCarthy.
Looking at McCarthy’s previous defensive coordinators, it’s clear he isn’t afraid to hire big names or former head coaches. Some of these “retreads” have succeeded in the role and even landed head coaching jobs afterward. It’s unclear whether Schwartz is aiming for another top NFL job, though most coaches are. Cleveland’s slight could work in Pittsburgh’s favor.
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Now that McCarthy is in the fold, the Steelers must make a splash with whoever they hire as their next defensive coordinator. This could be a prime opportunity for someone to revamp an aging unit and ensure it justifies its high cap number. Pittsburgh already has Patrick Graham and Jason Simmons scheduled to interview, and either could step into the role.
However, if Schwartz becomes available, McCarthy might want to reconsider his options.
Making the correct decision for who will be the next defensive coordinator of the Steelers will be vital to McCarthy's success. If he fails to make the right call, this aging defense could get worse. Hiring Schwartz might be a pipe dream for now, but it just became realistic after Cleveland hired Monken. Bringing Schwartz on board as the next defensive coordinator should be McCarthy's top priority.