The Browns and the Audacity of Hope

CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 23, 2018: Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz of the Philadelphia Eagles runs off the field prior to a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns on August 23, 2018 at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland won 5-0. (Photo by: 2018 Nick Cammett/Diamond Images/Getty Images)

Posted By: County Sports Network January 18, 2026

Former Browns head coach Sam Rutigliano has always called it “the audacity of hope” — that is, daring to have hope when perhaps there is little to no reason for it.

I have that now concerning the Browns’ search for a new head coach. It comes with the announcement that Jim Schwartz will receive a second interview on Monday.

I’ve made it clear before, and I will say it again, that I really don’t trust owner Jimmy Haslam and General Manager Andrew Berry to make the right choice for head coach.

However, the fact that Schwartz is getting that second interview causes me pause, and starts me to thinking that maybe, just maybe, they are going to get this thing right after all.

Schwartz, the genius defensive coordinator of the team for the last three seasons, is my guy. He is my choice beyond any shadow of a doubt for the job.

Oh, sure, all these other candidates for the position have a lot of positive things going for them as well. I get that. But at the end of the day, the best choice to be the head coach of the Cleveland Browns is Jim Schwartz.

As we have stated here before, the defensive players love him, and they respect him. He’s a smart guy and a tough guy, and he knows that from his previous head-coaching experience with the Detroit Lions that didn’t work out, there will be some things that he will have to do different. I think he will make those changes, and he will become a better version of himself.

Yes, he will have to get an astute offensive coordinator to run that side of the ball, and I have no doubt that he can find that man. He will have his hands full in being the head coach and probably also serving as defensive coordinator or at least having a strong voice in what happens on defense.

There’s also the part that Schwartz, from having worked with the Browns as a scout and personnel man over 30 years ago, knows what the Browns mean to this community. This is personal for him, and he wants to get it right not just for himself, but for the Browns fans who have been so patient and waited so very long for their teamto be a consistent winner Well they were. They were chirping when I came inagain.

I think Haslam and Berry are seeing it, or at least it appears that way.

We’ll just keep our fingers crossed on that, but over the weekend, we can take some solace in the fact that there is at least a possibility that the Browns are getting it right, which is something I didn’t think would happen.

Steve King

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