Feb 17, 2026
3 min read
, Ohio — Mike Rutenberg has an enormous pair of shoes to fill in replacing Jim Schwartz and has never called an NFL defense, but Todd Monken is confident he’s up to the task.
On Monday, Monken hired the former Falcons defensive passing game coordinator to replace Schwartz and continue the Browns' familiar 4-3 offense.
Rutenberg, 44, was a three-time finalist along with Browns quarterbacks coach Jason Tarver and Texans defensive pass coordinator Corey Undlin.He is the only one without NFL coordinator experience, but he impressed Monken in an initial video interview and an interview on Sunday.
He had the difficult task of replacing Schwartz, who resigned on Feb. 6 after being offered Monken's head coaching job.Schwartz and Monken were the two finalists for the job, with the Browns choosing Monken because of his stronger scheme to elevate the offense to the highest level.He tried to answer Švarc, but to no avail.
But he vowed to move forward with Schwartz's relentless scheme, designed to get to the quarterback early and often from every position on the defensive line.
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Monken also interviewed Aubrey Pleasant of the Rams, Jonathan Cooley of the Panthers, Charlie Bullen of the Giants and Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda for the defensive coordinator position.Of that group, only Tarver and Undlin had NFL coordinator experience, with Undlin calling the Lions' 2020 defense and Tarver.Led the Raiders defense from 2012-14.
The Browns' other defensive assistants, including Tarver and Banda, are expected to stay.
Rutenberg's hiring complements Monken's first three coordinators, with offensive coordinator Travis Switzer and special teams coordinator Byron Storer.
An NFL veteran for the past 16 years, Rutenberg spent 2025 with the Falcons under defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who was around Kevin Stefanski.
"He's doing an amazing job," Ulbrich said last week.
"Whether he gets the coordinator job this year or next year, it's coming. He's a great coach. He's got a bright future."
Rutenberg also has extensive experience running under Titans coach Robert Saleh, who runs a similar system to Schwartz.Rutenberg became a game specialist under Saleh in San Francisco in 2020, and served as the Jets' linebackers coach from 2021-2024.
"He's a dawg. That's what he is," Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. said Rutenberg last season."He's a caring person. You can see his passion for the game and his love for the team. Every day, when he steps on the field, you can tell this is what he wants to do."
Rutenberg takes over a Browns defense that has ranked first in a number of key categories over the past three seasons under Schwartz, including total yards per game, first downs allowed per game, third-lowest percentage, fourth-lowest percentage, total passing yards per game, first downs per attempt and most teams for a loss.
The Browns also ranked third in team scoring and tied for second with eight defensive touchdowns.
In 2025, the Browns finished fourth in total yards allowed per game at 283.6 and third-fewest in passing yards per game at 167.2.They also finished third in the league with 53 sacks and set the franchise record for sacks in a season.Myles Garrett, the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year, broke the NFL's single-season sack record with 23.
The Browns also went 45 straight games without allowing a 300-yard passer, the longest active streak in the NFL and the longest streak of any NFL team since the Colts went 52 games from 2005-08.
Rutenberg inherits a unit that not only includes a 2025 NFL defensive player (Garrett) and a 2025 quarterback (Carson Schwesinger), but also a five-time Pro Bowler in Denzel Ward and other elite players such as safety Grant DelPitt and cornerback.
Rutenberg's path to the Falcons' passing game coordinator was unusual.A graduate of Cornell University and a former linebacker, he entered the NFL in 2003 with Washington.Initially serving as a player executive before becoming an administrative assistant under Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs, Rutenberg focused on the organizational side of football.he practiced scripts, analyzed opponents and helped evaluate players - the kind of behind-the-scenes work that often lays the groundwork for future coaching opportunities.
After gaining early attention in the NFL, Rutenberg moved to the college ranks, coaching defensive line and coordinating pass protection at facilities including UCLA and New Mexico State.Ultimately, his ability to teach defensive principles and develop young quarterbacks earned him a return to the NFL with the Jaguars in 2013.
In seven seasons in Jacksonville, Rutenberg rose through the ranks from assistant defensive backs coach to defensive assistant and then assistant linebackers coach.The varied responsibilities he undertook broadened his understanding of defensive systems, engagement and coverage concepts.This shift would later become one of the defining characteristics of his career.
During his tenure in New York, the Jets led the NFL in total defense and pass defense efficiency, furthering Rutenberg's reputation as a detailed strategist.
During his time in New York, Rutenberg was part of the only defense in the league to rank in the top five in total defense in each of three seasons (2022-24), finishing fourth in 2022 before finishing third in 2023 and 2024. Over the three seasons combined, the Jets' defense ranked No.defense (183.5 yards per game), No.5 in tackles for loss (269), No.8 in sack (136) and No.9 in scoring defense (21.1 points per game).
In fact, that made him an attractive candidate for Atlanta, where Ulbrich was waiting for new ideas before 2025. Rutenberg was assigned to re-evaluate the 22 Falcons passing defense, learning linebacker tendencies, supporting masks and strengthening the connection between the secondary and safeties.
Early returns in 2025 show improvement: The Falcons improved to 13th in the NFL in pass defense, 224.5 yards to 200.4 tight ends.
Ruttenberg will lead a group of Browns defensive players still reeling from the sudden departure of their beloved coordinator, with some openly advocating for Schwartz to get the head coaching job.
But Rutenberg's impressive credentials suggest the defenders will adapt quickly to their new boss.
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