The NFL Coaching Carousel pre-2026 edition

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Motown Bombers]

 

[CMRivdogs]

 

[Motown Bombers]

 

[MichiganCardinal]

With the Browns passing on Schwartz, Campbell should be discreetly calling him. There are only a handful of DC candidates I would consider an improvement on continuity with Sheppard, but that's one of them.

Cleveland wants him to stay as DC (after interviewing him twice and saying no thanks). I think he probably tells them in no uncertain terms to piss off.

[Hongbit]

1 hour ago, Motown Bombers said:

 

Smart move surrounding your pro bowl QB with an offensive guy.  

[Motown Bombers]

 

[CMRivdogs]

I love this guy. The Yinzer reaction to the Steelers hire

 

[Motown Bombers]

You have to feel for Schwartz. It seems like he always ends up in ****ty situations and yet his defenses are almost always the best in the league. 

[MichiganCardinal]

You would think if the Browns were good at anything, it would be hiring a new head coach. But nope, they can screw that up too.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

1 hour ago, Motown Bombers said:

You have to feel for Schwartz. It seems like he always ends up in ****ty situations and yet his defenses are almost always the best in the league. 

I wouldn't say this is the case and I don't feel bad for him. When he was here his defense's, from stats I went back and read, were ranked 32nd, 19th, 23rd, 27th, and 15th. He was largely a defensive disaster here and if it weren't for Suh, we'd have had one of the worst defenses in the league. He might have been good elsewhere, but he certainly wasn't here.

[Motown Bombers]

2 minutes ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

I wouldn't say this is the case and I don't feel bad for him. When he was here his defense's, from stats I went back and read, were ranked 32nd, 19th, 23rd, 27th, and 15th. He was largely a defensive disaster here and if it weren't for Suh, we'd have had one of the worst defenses in the league. He might have been good elsewhere, but he certainly wasn't here.

He inherited an 0-16 team. Suh was never the same after he left the Lions. 

[Motor City Sonics]

Schwartz was the perfect hire for where the Lions were when they hired him.    He had the F-You attitude they needed and he did a great job of getting them to the playoffs in his 3rd year, but that was really his limit. 

Yep, he kinda got screwed here.    I mean, Todd Monken?  Really?      Maybe this is a good thing Jimmy,  do you really want to be the next victims

 

The Browns..........always Browning.  Always.   

 

Mike McCarthy, Jesse Minter - if you don't have a DC and you want someone motivated to destroy a division opponent - well, there's a guy available, sort of.  

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Do people forget how under Schwartz the Lions were undisciplined and were one of the most penalized teams in the league year after year? The lockeroom issues they had with in-fighting, a player sucker punching another player, fights at practice, all the arrests off the field in the 2011 and 2012 offseasons. This was one of the most undisciplined teams in the league. They weren't tough and edgy, they were dumb and penalized often.

How about a Head Coach who doesn't even know the basic rules of the game, costing his team a game because he errantly through a challenge flag when he wasn't allowed to. How about Schwartz trying to physically fight Harbaugh on the field after a game. This doesn't even factor in the terrible OC Schwartz hired in Scott Linehan with his predictable, uncreative play calling. Linehan running the ball frequently on second and long, just surrendering second downs time and again and again. Linehan who enabled Stafford to be an interception machine at time. And did Schwartz make a change, no he stuck with him for the entire tenure of his career here. Then we come to the collapse at the end of the 2013 season. They were 7-5, leading the division over mediocre Green Bay and Chicago teams. Schwartz choked it away completely. Now, that was as much on Stafford playing like dog**** down the stretch as it was on Schwartz, so I forgive him somewhat for that end of season collapse.

Let's not kid ourselves though and take the rose colored glasses off a bit. Schwartz was not a good Head Coach. Did he have great talent to work with at all times? No, Mayhew was dreadful at drafting outside of the first round. He didn't get to field quality teams like Campbell does. We don't fully know what type of personnel input Schwartz had here. If he had any input, they managed to draft a RB with concussion concerns in the first round and a TE with hands of stone in the first. They also drafted a WR with no ACL in either leg and another WR who was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. They drafted a RB who cared more about smoking grass than playing football and got arrested with weed all over his car. They also held a roster spot for Andre Fluellen year after year. I feel Schwartz could have stepped in at some point to try and veto anyone of those picks. Maybe he did try and Mayhew took them anyways. 

But there is a reason why in a league that has so many retread coaches, Jim Schwartz has never gotten another opportunity in the 12 years since he last coached us.

Edited Thursday at 12:04 AM by Mr.TaterSalad

[MichiganCardinal]

1 hour ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Do people forget how under Schwartz the Lions were undisciplined and were one of the most penalized teams in the league year after year?

There was a reason he was fired. And when we hired Campbell I didn’t hear anyone saying Schwartz deserved the head job back.

But in fairness it’s been nearly 17 years since he took the job. That’s a long time since he called Dez Bryant a motherf-er on an NFL sideline and nearly fist fought Jim Harbaugh. (Say what you will he was nothing if not entertaining).

He’ll be 60 years old in the fall. I’m not really worried about his discipline problems as head coach causing problems with a Dan Campbell group if he were brought in as DC.

And as for Cleveland, there’s a way to handle things and it’s not how they did it. They were asking head coach candidates if they would keep Schwartz, while simultaneously making Schwartz a finalist for the role. So Monken was hired, reportedly over the heads of both the GM and their own search committee, in part because he agreed to have a guy be his DC who had no interest in being the DC….. because the guy they wanted as DC thought he was going to get the promotion! Just a total clown show.

 

[Motor City Sonics]

3 hours ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Do people forget how under Schwartz the Lions were undisciplined and were one of the most penalized teams in the league year after year? The lockeroom issues they had with in-fighting, a player sucker punching another player, fights at practice, all the arrests off the field in the 2011 and 2012 offseasons. This was one of the most undisciplined teams in the league. They weren't tough and edgy, they were dumb and penalized often.

How about a Head Coach who doesn't even know the basic rules of the game, costing his team a game because he errantly through a challenge flag when he wasn't allowed to. How about Schwartz trying to physically fight Harbaugh on the field after a game. This doesn't even factor in the terrible OC Schwartz hired in Scott Linehan with his predictable, uncreative play calling. Linehan running the ball frequently on second and long, just surrendering second downs time and again and again. Linehan who enabled Stafford to be an interception machine at time. And did Schwartz make a change, no he stuck with him for the entire tenure of his career here. Then we come to the collapse at the end of the 2013 season. They were 7-5, leading the division over mediocre Green Bay and Chicago teams. Schwartz choked it away completely. Now, that was as much on Stafford playing like dog**** down the stretch as it was on Schwartz, so I forgive him somewhat for that end of season collapse.

Let's not kid ourselves though and take the rose colored glasses off a bit. Schwartz was not a good Head Coach. Did he have great talent to work with at all times? No, Mayhew was dreadful at drafting outside of the first round. He didn't get to field quality teams like Campbell does. We don't fully know what type of personnel input Schwartz had here. If he had any input, they managed to draft a RB with concussion concerns in the first round and a TE with hands of stone in the first. They also drafted a WR with no ACL in either leg and another WR who was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. They drafted a RB who cared more about smoking grass than playing football and got arrested with weed all over his car. They also held a roster spot for Andre Fluellen year after year. I feel Schwartz could have stepped in at some point to try and veto anyone of those picks. Maybe he did try and Mayhew took them anyways. 

But there is a reason why in a league that has so many retread coaches, Jim Schwartz has never gotten another opportunity in the 12 years since he last coached us.

For the 0-16 team - he was good.   He gave them a nastiness that they lacked and his 3 year turn around into the playoffs was impressive.  But yeah, not a great long term guy.    He couldn't pull that nasty energy in enough to control it and make it work for them and he'd lose his temper too quickly.   But for where they were when he came in - he was great, but it was a limited shelf life.   But Schwartz was a hell of a lot better than Mariucci. Marinelli, Morningwheg and Patricia.    I know that is a pretty low bar.   

When he was Buffalo's DC and they carried him off the field after beating the Lions,  that was a bad look.  I think that hurt him a bit.     Lack of maturity thing.   Showed itself again today, but I don't blame him.  I mean Todd Monken?  Really? 

Meanwhile the Raiders and Cardinals don't seem to be in any hurry.     I know there are only 32 Head Coaching jobs and it's really hard to get one of them, but what coach with any self-respect would want to go to the freaking Raiders.   What, to get fired in a year or two?    Mark Davis is so stupid he might hire Nicolas Cage to coach the team based on how well he played Madden in the movie.  

 

Edited Thursday at 03:20 AM by Motor City Sonics

[Sports_Freak]

So if Schwartz gets a HC gig, he can tell Cleveland to screw off? But since he's still under contract (2 more years) as a Cleveland DC, he can't go to a different team as a DC? I think he's a very good defensive coordinator and he may have learned and matured. I wouldn't want him as a head coach but maybe as a defensive coach. But definitely not under MCDC, I don't think they could co-exist.

[Motown Bombers]

8 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

So if Schwartz gets a HC gig, he can tell Cleveland to screw off? But since he's still under contract (2 more years) as a Cleveland DC, he can't go to a different team as a DC? I think he's a very good defensive coordinator and he may have learned and matured. I wouldn't want him as a head coach but maybe as a defensive coach. But definitely not under MCDC, I don't think they could co-exist.

Cleveland can technically block him from interviewing for another DC job, but I wouldn’t think they would. 

[Sports_Freak]

1 minute ago, Motown Bombers said:

Cleveland can technically block him from interviewing for another DC job, but I wouldn’t think they would. 

Cleveland has stolen the dysfunctional label from Detroit. I feel their fans pain, it was like that here for most of my adult life.

[Motor City Sonics]

If you are Brian Daboll, you need to think long and hard about accepting an offer from the Raiders.  Knowing what they do to Head Coaches, this is it for you.     I think Daboll will get one more shot at Head Coach, but if you take it here, with this completely f-ed up organization and they dust you in a year or two, like they always seem to do, that's it, you won't get another crack at being a Head Coach.        Some gigs aren't worth it.     Daboll had a great first year in NY and then had some hard luck that he wasn't good enough to overcome.     I think he still has a shot at redemption, but probably not in Las Vegas working for that mess of a team. 

As far as the Browns trying to block Schwartz from getting a DC gig somewhere else.  I think they would.   They're the Browns, who said they had class?    I could see them being that petty - absolutely.  

 

The Cardinals.  But for one crazy run that got them, literally,  inches away from a Super Bowl title, they've always been a disaster, my whole life. 

 

We're not lumped in with these jokes anymore.   Going 9-8 is complete failure now.   I like that. 

Edited Thursday at 05:39 PM by Motor City Sonics

[Sports_Freak]

36 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

If you are Brian Daboll, you need to think long and hard about accepting an offer from the Raiders.  Knowing what they do to Head Coaches, this is it for you.     I think Daboll will get one more shot at Head Coach, but if you take it here, with this completely f-ed up organization and they dust you in a year or two, like they always seem to do, that's it, you won't get another crack at being a Head Coach.        Some gigs aren't worth it.     Daboll had a great first year in NY and then had some hard luck that he wasn't good enough to overcome.     I think he still has a shot at redemption, but probably not in Las Vegas working for that mess of a team. 

As far as the Browns trying to block Schwartz from getting a DC gig somewhere else.  I think they would.   They're the Browns, who said they had class?    I could see them being that petty - absolutely.  

 

The Cardinals.  But for one crazy run that got them, literally,  inches away from a Super Bowl title, they've always been a disaster, my whole life. 

 

We're not lumped in with these jokes anymore.   Going 9-8 is complete failure now.   I like that. 

Daboll lost his young and inexperienced QB and RB in NY. And they didnt have the depth to overcome those losses, as most teams wouldn't. But I could see how taking the Raiders job may be attractive, they have the #1 pick. That should get him at least 3 years. And if he wins there, he would really build a great reputation. If he loses and gets fired? Well, it's the Raiders...nobody could win there. 😅😅

[1984Echoes]

2 hours ago, Motown Bombers said:

Cleveland can technically block him from interviewing for another DC job, but I wouldn’t think they would. 

Can't teams get around that by offering him an "Assistant Head Coach" position, along with the DC...?

[Motor City Sonics]

5 hours ago, Sports_Freak said:

Daboll lost his young and inexperienced QB and RB in NY. And they didnt have the depth to overcome those losses, as most teams wouldn't. But I could see how taking the Raiders job may be attractive, they have the #1 pick. That should get him at least 3 years. And if he wins there, he would really build a great reputation. If he loses and gets fired? Well, it's the Raiders...nobody could win there. 😅😅

But if you fail twice, that's about it.   I have seen failed coaches get second chances, but third? 

 

And I don't think the failure of the Giants is really on him all that much.  Had some bad luck.    He just wasn't good enough to overcome the obstacles.  If they hadn't been there, he'd still be their coach.  

[Sports_Freak]

5 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

But if you fail twice, that's about it.   I have seen failed coaches get second chances, but third? 

 

And I don't think the failure of the Giants is really on him all that much.  Had some bad luck.    He just wasn't good enough to overcome the obstacles.  If they hadn't been there, he'd still be their coach.  

Yeah, it was a serious lack of depth. Not too many teams can lose their starting QB and RB and still win.

[lordstanley]

On 1/28/2026 at 7:14 PM, Motor City Sonics said:

  Mark Davis is so stupid he might hire Nicolas Cage to coach the team based on how well he played Madden in the movie.  

 

Cage could parachute onto the field for the opening game.