Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was named the Associated Press 2023 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year on Thursday night at NFL Honors in Las Vegas.
Schwartz’s defense in Cleveland finished first in the league in yards allowed (270.2 per game), tied for fifth in takeaways (28) and sixth in sacks (49) in 2023.
In 2022, the Browns allowed 331.2 YPG, with ten takeaways and 34 sacks — Schwartz’s first year in Cleveland.
Browns DC Jim Schwartz, a Maryland native, was named the AP Assistant Coach of the Year.
Ravens OC Todd Monken and ex-DC Mike Macdonald were finalists. Macdonald was named the @PFWAwriters Assistant Coach of the Year last month. pic.twitter.com/2kD18HLR36
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) February 9, 2024
Baltimore had the NFL’s most talked about defense, but the Browns led the league in first downs allowed (253), third-down conversion rate (29.1%), and fourth-down conversion rate (40%). In comparison, opposing offenses were forced into three-and-outs on 48.6% of total drives against Cleveland, which ranked best in the NFL, per NFL Research.
Schwartz beat out former Ravens DC Mike Macdonald, Lions OC Ben Johnson, Texans OC Bobby Slowik, and current Ravens OC Todd Monken for the award.