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You can say that the AFC North rival Pittsburgh Steelers made a mistake when they hired Mike McCarthy as their new head coach the other day.
You may also say that the Browns made a mistake when they hired Todd Monken as their new head coach on Wednesday.
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Perhaps the teams made a mistake in both situations, or maybe just one made a mistake and the other got it right, or it could be that both teams got it right. We just don’t know.
But here’s what I will tell you: The Steelers got a guy in McCarthy for whom the job really means something. He grew up in Pittsburgh rooting for the Steelers and now, in what may be his last head coaching job in the NFL, he gets to come home and coach his hometown team. He’s excited. He’s thrilled. That may be enough to overcome the fact that he’s not the youngest guy on the block.
The Browns, on the other hand, hired a guy who, other than spending one year in Cleveland as the offensive coordinator in 2019, doesn’t really have any real special affection for the Browns, Cleveland or Northeast Ohio. I’m sure he likes it around here, but that warm feeling just doesn’t burn a fire in his belly,
But that fire did indeed rage for Jim Schwartz, and the Browns told him no.
#Browns DC Jim Schwartz, informed that the team was hiring Todd Monken over him, has told those close to him that he’s out, per The Insiders.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 28, 2026
Cleveland would like to retain Schwartz, who is under contract. The respected DC may have other plans. He’s coveted. pic.twitter.com/cqtrlOsikF
My lasting memory of this whole situation, I think, is going to be the story that came out indicating that Schwartz was visibly upset when he got word that the Browns passed him over for the job and hired Monken. He really wanted that job. It meant something to him. It was his way, not just to atone for his earlier failure as the head coach of Detroit Lions, but much more so to restore to greatness the team for which he worked in the early 1990s.
The Browns can give all these kind of tests and examinations and ask all these tough questions of these candidates, but the one I would’ve asked is how much does the job mean to him to get it right not just professionally, but personally as well. I think Schwartz would’ve given an answer that would’ve convinced me to hire him.
I certainly hope the Browns didn’t miss the mark in that regard — or, as it were, the Jim.
Steve King
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