CLEVELAND, Ohio — In the midst of coaching chaos and organizational upheaval, two Browns defensive stars achieved a rare feat — capturing both the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year awards in the same season.

The irony wasn’t lost on the Orange and Brown Talk podcast crew that these accolades arrived just as defensive mastermind Jim Schwartz was clearing out his office.

Myles Garrett’s achievement stands particularly tall — he became just the second player in NFL history to win Defensive Player of the Year unanimously, an accomplishment made even more impressive considering the Browns’ dismal 5-12 record.

“Myles Garrett did win his second Defensive Player of the Year award and he did it unanimously. The second player ever to win that award unanimously,” noted host Dan Labbe. “I mean we kind of knew Myles was going to win this thing, but it is significant that it was unanimous and I think significant that it was unanimous on a 5-win football team.”

Schwartz’s influence on Garrett’s development can’t be overstated, according to Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot: “He became what should be, and I have to say should, but what should be a first ballot Hall-of-Famer under Jim Schwartz. With two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards and the sack title, Jim knew exactly where his bread was buttered. And he knew that he needed to get his stars feeling good about themselves. And he was great at that.”

This coaching philosophy — empowering star players and maximizing their unique talents — was Schwartz’s hallmark in Cleveland. Cabot elaborated: “Players love nothing more in a coach than a coach that can bring out the best in them and get them their 1000 yards and get them their Pro Bowls and their All-Pros and their hardware along the way to winning football games.”

Meanwhile, linebacker Carson Schwesinger’s rise from relative obscurity to Defensive Rookie of the Year represents another Schwartz success story. As Browns beat reporter Ashley Bastock recalled, “The lead to the story yesterday that I wrote was like Carson Schwesinger entered the NFL with very little fanfare, but he’s leaving his rookie year with some hardware because I mean, it really is remarkable.”

Schwesinger, the 33rd overall pick who many draft analysts questioned, dominated with instinctual play that belied his inexperience. “Carson Schwesinger wins Defensive Rookie of the Year, 40 out of 50 first place votes,” Labbe noted.

Perhaps most impressive is Garrett’s durability in a league where elite edge rushers often struggle with injuries. As Cabot observed: “It is remarkable that he has not suffered an injury like that. And in this past offseason, he also had the plates removed that he had inserted in his feet when he was in middle school because he’s got flat feet. But it really seems like those flat feet have served him well.”

Now, with Schwartz’s departure, the question becomes whether Garrett can continue his ascent toward NFL records. Cabot believes the best is yet to come: “I think he’s going to be on another mission to do that and to get his third NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, which would tie him for most in the NFL.”

For all the organizational turmoil, the awards ceremony served as validation for General Manager Andrew Berry’s roster-building approach. As Cabot concluded: “(The 2025) draft was pretty darn good. You were not even going to think about firing Andrew Berry in this season when he laid that very, very important foundation for Super Bowl Window 2.”

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