Although the Cleveland Browns haven't made the postseason since 2020 and have historically had underwhelming seasons, including this one at 4-12, the team's defense has been a problem for opponents.
The unit, led by defensive end Myles Garrett, is the only consistent element of the team as they rank inside the top five in terms of total defense and displayed that against their division rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, this past week, holding them to six points and Aaron Rodgers to under 200 passing yards.
Usually, when fans see high-performing defenses, the praise goes to the players. Still, in this case, the defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, deserves the limelight, and that happened as Schwartz participated in a short interview this week with 'cleveland.com', where he described how the season has gone with the lack of wins, even though he is leading a great defense.
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"I tell our coaches all the time: They don't pay us for the good times," Schwartz said.
A veteran like Schwartz has seen it all, having been around the league for about three decades. It's clear he doesn't mind taking adversity head-on, and he has led the Browns' defense to be among the best in the league since he took over in 2023.
With Schwartz's mindset, it's easy to see why the defense plays so hard for him, even though the team as a whole doesn't have many wins. That stems from his commitment to getting the most from his players, regardless of the result, while also upholding a specific standard.
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