Former Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is returning to Cleveland. The Browns plan to hire Schwartz as their new dc, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday, per a source informed of the situation.Schwartz got his NFL start with the Browns under Bill Belichick as a personnel scout from 1993-1995. Schwartz rose to prominence as the Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator (2001-2008), which helped him land the Detroit Lions head coaching gig. Schwartz helped the Lions return to the postseason for the first time in over a decade but bottomed out, going 29-51 in five seasons. After his stint as a head coach, the fiery Schwartz returned to defensive coordinator duties. He spent one season as DC in Buffalo in 2014. He then moved to Philadelphia, where he spent the next five seasons as the coordinator, helping the Eagles win their first Lombardi Trophy in 2017. Schwartz left Eagles following the 2020 season, returning to Tennessee as a senior defensive assistant for the past two campaigns. Now he's back in Cleveland to help turn around an underperforming defense under former DC Joe Woods. Schwartz's scheme meshes well with Pro Bowl edge rusher Miles Garrett, but the Browns must spend the offseason upgrading a unit with holes at every level.

Schwartz replaces Joe Woods, who was fired last week after the Browns ranked 19th in defensive efficiency, finished with a record of 7-10 and missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season. Schwartz was the head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2009 to 2013, going just 29-51 over that stretch but leading the Lions to the playoffs in 2011. He won a Super Bowl as defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. Schwartz, 56, spent the past two years as a defensive assistant with the Tennessee Titans.Schwartz also had defensive coordinator stints with the Titans (2001-08) and Buffalo Bills (2014). He was a personnel scout for the Browns from 1993-95 under then-Cleveland head coach Bill Belichick.The Browns also interviewed Pittsburgh Steelers defensive assistant and former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores for their defensive coordinator.job, as well as Seattle Seahawks assistant Sean Desai and Philadelphia assistant Dennard Wilson.

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