Jim Schwartz facts for kids
Schwartz in 2021
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| Cleveland Browns | |
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| Position: | Defensive coordinator |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | June 2, 1966 Halethorpe, Maryland, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Mount Saint Joseph (Baltimore, Maryland) |
| College: | Georgetown |
| Career history | |
| As coach: | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season: | 29–51 (.363) |
| Postseason: | 0–1 (.000) |
| Career: | 29–52 (.358) |
| Coaching stats at PFR | |
James J. Schwartz (born June 2, 1966) is a well-known American football coach. He is currently the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League (NFL). Before this, he was the head coach for the Detroit Lions from 2009 to 2013. Jim Schwartz has also been a defensive coordinator for several other NFL teams, including the Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, and Philadelphia Eagles. He even helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LII in 2018!
Coach Schwartz is known for focusing on defense, especially building strong defensive lines. He likes to have powerful players in the middle and on the ends of the defensive line. Because of his coaching, many of his defensive players have become top stars. Some of these players include Albert Haynesworth, Ndamukong Suh, Marcell Dareus, Mario Williams, Fletcher Cox, and Myles Garrett. These players were often named to the All-Pro First Team or the Pro Bowl, which means they were among the best players in the league.
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Jim Schwartz's Early Life
Jim Schwartz was born near Baltimore, Maryland. He went to Mount Saint Joseph High School, an all-boys Catholic school, where he played football. Later, he played as a linebacker for four years at Georgetown University for the Hoyas team. He studied economics and was even honored as a top economics graduate. In 1988, he received many awards, including being named an Academic All-American and a team captain.
Jim Schwartz's Coaching Journey
Starting His Coaching Career
Jim Schwartz began his NFL career working for Bill Belichick with the Cleveland Browns in the mid-1990s. He later became the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans from 2001 to 2008. During this time, other NFL teams considered him for their head coaching jobs. For example, in 2005, he was a candidate for the San Francisco 49ers' head coach position. In 2008, he interviewed with the Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, and Atlanta Falcons. In 2009, the Detroit Lions decided to hire him as their head coach. Albert Haynesworth, a defensive player Schwartz coached in Tennessee, called him a "mastermind" because of his successful defensive strategies.
Coaching the Detroit Lions
The 2009 season was Jim Schwartz's first as the Lions' head coach. The team finished with a 2–14 record, winning against the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Browns.
In 2010, the Lions started with a 2–10 record. However, they finished the season strong, winning their last four games against the Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, and Minnesota Vikings.
The 2011 season was exciting for the Lions. They made it to the playoffs for the first time since 1999! They secured their spot after a big 38–10 win over the San Diego Chargers. However, they were eliminated in the first round by the New Orleans Saints.
In the 2012 season, the Lions started with a 4–4 record. But they lost their last eight games, ending the year at 4–12. They finished last in their division. After the season, Schwartz and his coaching staff led the South Team to a 21–16 victory in the 2013 Senior Bowl, an important college football all-star game.
The 2013 season began well, with the Lions holding a 6–3 record and leading their division. But they then lost six of their next seven games, finishing the year at 7–9. Jim Schwartz was fired on December 30, 2013, after five seasons as the head coach.
Time with the Buffalo Bills
On January 24, 2014, Jim Schwartz was hired by the Buffalo Bills as their defensive coordinator. Under Schwartz, the Bills' defense became one of the best in the NFL. They led the league in sacks, which means they tackled the opposing quarterback more than any other team. During the 2014 season, the Bills won all four of their games against teams from the NFC North, the division Schwartz had coached in for five years. On October 5, 2014, the Bills beat Schwartz's former team, the Detroit Lions, 17–14. After the game, his players carried Schwartz off the field, which some Lions players found upsetting.
The Bills' defense finished the season fourth in the NFL for points and yards allowed per game. They also ranked third in takeaways, which means they recovered fumbles or intercepted passes often. The Bills ended the season with a winning record (9–7) for the first time in ten years. Defensive linemen Kyle Williams, Marcell Dareus, and Mario Williams were all chosen for the 2015 Pro Bowl, and Dareus and Mario Williams were named First-Team All-Pro. Despite this success, the head coach, Doug Marrone, resigned. The new Bills coach, Rex Ryan, decided to bring in his own coaches, so Schwartz left the team.
A Break from Coaching (2015)
For the 2015 season, Schwartz took a special job with the NFL's officiating department. He helped by giving a coach's view on how game decisions were made by the referees. In October, he turned down an offer to become the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins.
Winning a Super Bowl with the Eagles
On January 19, 2016, Jim Schwartz was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles to be their defensive coordinator under coach Doug Pederson. The Eagles' defense had been struggling, but Schwartz quickly made a big difference. He used his special 4-3 defense strategy, which helped turn one of the league's worst defenses into a top-performing unit. In his first year, the defense improved significantly, and in his second year, it ranked fourth in both yards and points allowed. He led the Eagles' defense to win their first Super Bowl championship in Super Bowl LII! On January 7, 2021, Schwartz announced he was stepping away from coaching due to health reasons and resigned from the Eagles.
Back with the Tennessee Titans
On April 7, 2021, Schwartz was hired by the Tennessee Titans as a senior defensive assistant. He worked with the team for two seasons.
Leading the Cleveland Browns Defense
On January 18, 2023, Jim Schwartz was hired by the Cleveland Browns as their defensive coordinator. In his first season with the Browns, Schwartz's defense was outstanding. It led the NFL in several important areas, including total defense and passing defense. The Browns' defense allowed only 270.2 yards per game, which was the fewest allowed by any team since the 2014 Seattle Seahawks. Because of his great work, Schwartz was named the 2023 AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year.
Jim Schwartz's Head Coaching Record
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| DET | 2009 | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 4th in NFC North | — | — | — | — |
| DET | 2010 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 3rd in NFC North | — | — | — | — |
| DET | 2011 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 2nd in NFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to New Orleans Saints in NFC Wild Card Game |
| DET | 2012 | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 4th in NFC North | — | — | — | — |
| DET | 2013 | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3rd in NFC North | — | — | — | — |
| DET total | 29 | 51 | 0 | .363 | 0 | 1 | .000 | |||
| Total | 29 | 51 | 0 | .363 | 0 | 1 | .000 | |||
About Jim Schwartz's Family
Jim Schwartz is married to Kathy, and they have three children: twins Christian and Alison, and a younger daughter named Maria.
