Feb. 16, 2026, 1:54 p.m. ET
The Cleveland Browns have a new defensive coordinator, naming Mike Rutenberg their Jim Schwartz replacement.
Opting for an external hire over promoting one of linebackers coach Jason Tarver or safeties coach Ephraim Banda, the Browns have taken on the passing game specialist of the Atlanta Falcons. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero was the first one on the news.
Rutenberg has been coaching in the NFL for 23 seasons, starting as a player personnel intern in Washington. He has been coaching in the NFL since 2013, starting as the assistant defensive backs coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Rutenberg has spent the last five seasons coaching underneath respected defensive minds like Robert Saleh (Tennessee Titans head coach) and Jeff Ulbrich (Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator).
This is, however, Rutenberg’s first stop as a defensive coordinator in the NFL. He has big shoes to fill, but has the personnel to make his transition easier than most with a first-ballot Hall of Fame pass rusher, a perennial Pro Bowl cornerback, and the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year at linebacker.
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