If you’re a Cleveland Browns fan, the current defensive coordinator situation feels a lot like “The Summer of George”—except nobody is having any fun. Despite the Browns season being over, the drama surrounding Jim Schwartz and his potential move to the Las Vegas Raiders is reaching Seinfeld-level absurdity.
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk points out, Schwartz remains a top target for the Raiders DC opening. There’s just one major problem: Schwartz is still under contract in Cleveland. The Browns have no interest in letting their defensive mastermind walk to a conference rival for nothing.
This is where the true “Costanza” strategy comes into play. In the classic episode “The Revenge,” George blows up at his boss, quits in a blaze of glory, and then (after realizing he has no other prospects) simply shows up on Monday morning pretending the whole thing never happened.
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According to Florio, Schwartz could attempt this exact “quit and return” play. The idea? Schwartz has already completed part-1 by resigning. Now he would wait for them to hire a new coordinator, and then suddenly walk back into the building saying, “I’m back baby!”
If the Browns have already filled his spot, they’d be forced to either bring him back to a job that no longer exists or, more likely, cut him loose. This would finally give him the free agency needed to head to Las Vegas.
It’s a bold Seinfeld-esque move that could involve the league office before it’s all over. For the Raiders, the wait continues. For the Browns, it’s a standoff. And for Schwartz? He’s just looking for an exit—Costanza style.
One thing is certain, once that new DC is hired, things are going to get even more interesting.
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