The latest Cleveland Browns news and notes from around the NFL in the Saturday Dawg Chow.
In the 1988 movie Cocktail, Tom Cruise’s character remarks that, “everything ends badly, otherwise it wouldn’t end.”
That sentiment was on display Friday when the news came out that Jim Schwartz was resigning as defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns.
It may have been inevitable, but there was still hope that Schwartz would be professional about being passed over as head coach of the Browns in favor of Todd Monken, and see the wisdom in fulfilling his contract with the team while also getting to coach NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger, and the rest of a talent Cleveland defense.
Instead, Schwartz took his defensive playbook and went home. It is disappointing, no doubt about that, and the Browns would be better with Schwartz running the defense than not. But general manager Andrew Berry correctly read the room in a way that Schwartz could not, saw that no other NFL team was willing to make Schwartz their head coach, and concluded there was no reason the Browns had to be the ones to make that mistake.
So Schwartz is off to do whatever comes next, Monken gets to work on finding a defensive coordinator, and life moves on in Browns Town.
It is the penultimate day before the final game of the NFL season, so let’s getting rolling with the latest news about the Browns and the NFL in today’s edition of the Saturday Dawg Chow.
Dawgs By Nature
- Browns DC Jim Schwartz future update: Final decision made for Todd Monken’s staff (Jared Mueller) – The Cleveland Browns have an answer from DC Jim Schwartz just days before the Super Bowl.
- 5 defensive coordinator options after Jim Schwartz’s departure (Jared Mueller) – Here are five candidates for head coach Todd Monken to consider for Cleveland’s vacant defensive coordinator position.
- NFL honors provides signs of hope for Browns (Barry Shuck) – Several awards were assumed, and came through for the Cleveland Browns, with a bright future possible.
- Who do you blame for Jim Schwartz’s departure? (The Feed) – Let us know where the blame should fall.
- 2 Browns greats now Hall of Fame eligible, Class of 2027 has some big name candidates (Jared Mueller) – Who could join Cleveland Browns legend Joe Thomas in the Hall of Fame? 2 new candidates are eligible.
- Browns ownership: Charles Woodson backs out for another life goal (Jared Mueller) – Officially announced and still on the Cleveland Browns website, Charles Woodson backed out of ownership deal.
Cleveland Browns
- Passed over to coach, Jim Schwartz leaving as Browns DC (ESPN) – Jim Schwartz has resigned as Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator, the team announced Friday, after he missed out on his bid to be the head coach.
- Browns legend Bernie Kosar ‘feeling immensely better’ after transplant (Beacon Journal) – Browns legend Bernie Kosar shook hands, posed for photographs, chatted with reporters and stood on stage as he addressed the crowd on Feb. 5 during the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards at Rocket Arena.
- Browns struck gold with Carson Schwesinger. Now they must do it again (cleveland.com) – Almost a year later, Browns GM Andrew Berry can admit how unlikely of a scenario it was.
- Jim Schwartz: Is all well even if it doesn’t end well? (Terry Pluto) – I’m not happy about Jim Schwartz leaving as the Browns defensive coordinator. But I’m also happy he resigned. How is that for a contradiction?
NFL
- Sonny Jurgensen, one of Washington’s greatest football players, dies at 91 (Washington Post) – In a Hall of Fame career, the Redskins quarterback was known as one the NFL’s best pure passers. He later spent years as a broadcaster.
- ‘He has a plan already’: Bijan Robinson sounds off on Kevin Stefanski hire (atlantafalcons.com) – For the first time since Kevin Stefanski was hired as the Atlanta Falcons’ head coach, a current player has spoken publicly about the organization’s decision. Following his appearance at the Pro Bowl Games, running back Bijan Robinson made the rounds on Super Bowl radio row Thursday morning.
- 2026 NFL draft rankings: Jordan Reid’s top 50 prospects (ESPN) – The 2026 NFL draft is fast approaching, as the first round begins on April 23 in Pittsburgh. Now that the 2025 college football season has concluded and prospects have participated in the Senior Bowl and the Shrine Bowl, it’s time to update my list of the top 50 prospects.
- Deion Sanders on coaching in the NFL: ‘Ain’t no way in the world’ (The Athletic) – University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders didn’t mince words when asked on ESPN’s “First Take” if there was anything that would get him to jump from coaching in the college ranks to the NFL.
Category: General Sports
