Since returning to the NFL in 1999, the Cleveland Browns have been a historically dysfunctional franchise with issues at every turn. Cleveland is on its 13th and 23rd losing seasons. Instability is the defining trait of the Browns.
When the Browns announced they were firing head coach Kevin Stefanski and starting a new era, everybody was eager to move on and welcome in new players and candidates on the market.
In typical Browns fashion, they “found a way to struggle,” and the hiring process was a disaster. The Browns severely mishandled the process, from being unable to satisfy league rules to losing their defensive coordinator.
Matt Sullivan from The Sporting News deemed the job “one of the least desirable,” noting Cleveland had multiple top candidates drop out, including former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski.
Most of the team’s dysfunction stems from the Deshaun Watson trade, which stripped the Browns of draft picks and cap space to fix the struggling offense and rocky quarterback situation. These factors rendered the job unappealing to many candidates.
As if rebuilding the Browns isn’t daunting enough, candidates also faced an unconventional interview process that included “introductory questionnaires, personality tests and a multi-part essay,” which ultimately drove McDaniel away.
Another obstacle was the Browns’ failure to comply with the Rooney Rule, which was frustrating since other teams follow the rule seamlessly.
The rule requires teams “to interview at least two minority candidates for vacant head coach, GM and coordinator positions.” With the Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator, Nate Scheelhaase, satisfying one, the Browns scrambled to find another minority candidate to interview, even though the search had been narrowed, making the interview pointless.
Ultimately, the Browns hired Baltimore Ravens, offensive coordinator Todd Monken, a move that stunned most people, as he was the third option behind Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Nate Scheelhaase. General manager Andrew Berry and many fans were aiming for someone younger, like 35-year-old offensive-minded Scheelhaase, but Monken is almost 60. After franchise owner Jimmy Haslam intruded on the conversation and came to a compromise with Berry, Monken was chosen as the “safer option.”
Monken has a rocky history with Cleveland, having led a poor Browns offense as offensive coordinator in 2019. Monken told opposing teams the Browns were a “total mess,” and stated he didn’t care for head coach Freddie Kitchens.
This hire immediately created a new problem – the Browns made Schwartz believe the job was his. When Monken was hired, it was evident the two couldn’t coexist. Schwartz was deliberately passed over and deemed unfit for the job, creating a tense environment.
Sources inside the facility told NFL journalist Tom Pelissero that Schwartz was “visibly upset” after being passed on for the job, walking around the building giving emotional goodbyes to players and personnel in the building and finally resigning on Feb. 6. Browns beat reporter Daryl Ruiter called the situation a “disaster,” saying Schwartz “embarrassed himself,” and his ego had “grown too large for the building.”
Schwartz's resignation appeared to catch the Browns off guard and without a plan for this “doomsday scenario.” Now, they must launch another extensive coaching search to replace the leader of the team’s only bright spot.
His departure raises concerns about locker room issues, as multiple players have “grown comfortable and productive in his system this past season (and) may now be forced into significant change.”
Myles Garrett, the unanimous AP NFL 2026 Defensive Player of the Year, “thrived in Schwartz’s system” and could face a role change in a new coordinator’s scheme. Cornerback Denzel Ward might encounter a similar issue, as Ward wanted Schwartz to stay in Cleveland and called him an “amazing coach.” Cornerbacks in Schwartz’s scheme played “decisively rather than reactively,” and a different role could make Ward want to leave.
The Monken hiring wasn’t disappointing, but the entire process was mismanaged and messy. They flirted with Schwartz or the idea of a young, offensive-minded coach, then picked Monken, an older coach with a complicated history in Cleveland. The front office’s inefficiency during the entire situation was embarrassing, a bad sign for a team with the odds already stacked against them.
The fallout may have already started. Veteran tight end David Njoku ended his nine-year Browns tenure on Feb.9, after insisting he wasn’t going anywhere, and Berry says a “significant turnover” is coming for the offense. History shows that whatever comes next for the Browns, it's guaranteed to be unorganized and chaotic.
Abby Shriver is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Abby about their column? Email/message them at as064024@ohio.edu / @abbyshriver_
