The Cleveland Browns hired Todd Monken to be their new head coach after firing Kevin Stefanski. This was a big move for the Browns, as it made the future of Jim Schwartz in Cleveland in doubt.
Schwartz told the Browns he wouldn’t be their defensive coordinator after this Monken hire, and the Browns were instantly in the mix for a new defensive coordinator.
It didn’t take too long for the Browns to find their replacement for Schwartz. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Browns are hiring Mike Rutenberg as their new defensive coordinator.
Browns hire new DC in ex-Falcons coach
“The Browns are hiring Mike Rutenberg as defensive coordinator, per source,” Fowler reported Monday.
Rutenberg was most recently with the Atlanta Falcons, where he was the passing game coordinator on the defensive side of the ball. He landed the Browns job, beating the other finalists in Cord Undlin and Jason Tarver.
Rutenberg was previously the linebackers coach with the New York Jets from 2021 until 2024, where the Jets’ defense was a solid unit during his time there.
And this past season, the Falcons defense was a solid unit as well. They finished the year with 16 interceptions and 27 passing touchdowns allowed, with only 3,407 passing yards allowed as well all year.
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Atlanta also finished second in the NFL with 57 sacks this past season, four ahead of the Browns at 53 sacks.
Overall, Rutenberg’s Falcons’ defense finished in the top half of the league against the pass last year and was a strong unit overall.
While he’s not likely to get the same production out of the Browns’ defense that Schwartz did, the track record of Rutenberg is solid, and he should be someone Browns fans can get excited about. It might not be Schwartz, but he’s still a solid DC option.
While Stefanski is joining the Falcons, a top defensive coach of the Falcons is coming to Cleveland to be the leader of the Browns’ defense under Monken. He’ll get the reigning Defensive Player and Rookie of the Year in what should be a good defense in 2026.
