Tony Rizzo has officially seen enough of the Jim Schwartz mourning period. On ESPN Cleveland's The Really Big Show, Rizzo snapped at analyst Tony Grossi over the obsession with the former DC, shouting, "You act like Jim Schwarz is the only guy in the world that can coach Myles Garrett!"
The message is loud and clear: with or without Schwartz the Browns defense is loaded. Rizzo isn’t worried about a drop-off under new DC Mike Rutenberg, provided the new guy doesn't overthink it. "I think we have good players and if Mike Rutenberg has half a brain he'll get them to play just fine," Rizzo added.
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Rutenberg arrives with a heavy pedigree, having served as a key lieutenant under Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich. That Jets-style DNA focuses on an aggressive, "all-gas" defensive line—a philosophy that mirrors the wide-9 attacking front Schwartz used to terrorize the AFC North. By blending Saleh’s schematic toughness with Ulbrich’s modern pressure packages, Rutenberg has the blueprint to keep Myles Garrett rolling in sacks.
The gamble? Rutenberg has never called plays at the NFL level. Among the finalists for the job, including Jason Tarver and Cory Undlin, he possessed the least direct experience within the specific Schwartz system. He’s highly regarded in league circles as a rising star, but the lights in Cleveland are bright.
If Rutenberg trusts the talent and sticks to the strategies he learned in New York and Atlanta, then the Browns' defense shouldn't skip a beat. If he tries to reinvent the wheel, Rizzo might lose it for real.
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