Last season, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz helped build one of the NFL's most dominant defenses. But with Myles Garrett gone and Mike Rutenberg taking over as DC, the Browns enter a new era. Despite the changes, one Browns coach has made his faith in Rutenberg abundantly clear.

“Without giving away a bunch of trade secrets, there’ll be a ton of carryover. [Rutenberg has] done an amazing job of keeping things as the same as possible for the guys,” assistant coach Ephraim Banda, who joined the team with Schwartz in 2023, said on the Cleveland Browns Daily.

After joining the Browns in February, Mike Rutenberg has overseen the team's OTAs and minicamp.

As Cleveland builds its defense around Carson Schwesinger and Jared Verse, Banda believes the new coordinator is steering the unit in the right direction.

“[Rutenberg] really deserves a lot of credit. A lot of coaches have come in and changed everything, not thinking about the players. He’s kept the players in mind,” said Banda on the Cleveland Browns Daily.

After serving as the Browns’ safeties coach for the past three seasons, Banda was promoted to defensive pass game coordinator. Working closely with Rutenberg, he has gained a firsthand understanding of how the new coordinator intends to run the defense.

Last year, the Cleveland Browns had one of the league's best defensive units. This year, however, Mike Rutenberg faces a major challenge after Myles Garrett was traded to the Rams, with Jared Verse expected to fill part of the void.

Despite the obstacles ahead, Rutenberg is excited to lead the Cleveland Browns' defense.

Mike Rutenberg gave a close take on his career as DC

After nearly two decades climbing through the coaching ranks, Mike Rutenberg finally got the opportunity to lead an NFL defense.

Head coach Todd Monken entrusted him with the daunting task of replacing Jim Schwartz, and Rutenberg is more than ready to embrace the challenge.

“I can’t sit there and tell you I just said, ‘This is gonna work, nothing’s gonna get in my way.’ This is what I wanted to do. All I knew was to work my freakin’ b*** off and do the best possible job I could,” Rutenberg said in his conversation with NFL insider Ari Merov on NFL Spotlight.

Rutenberg’s coaching journey began after his sprint football days at Cornell. He started as a personnel intern with Washington in 2003 before sharpening his skills at UCLA and New Mexico State.

Determined to coach at the highest level, Rutenberg continued his professional climb with impactful stints in Jacksonville, San Francisco, and New York with the Jets.

Finally, after a season as Atlanta’s defensive pass game coordinator, Rutenberg landed in Cleveland to prove his worth.

With Myles Garrett no longer on the roster and a defense expected to rely heavily on young talent, Mike Rutenberg faces a significant challenge.

Can Mike Rutenberg maintain the dominant defensive standard set by Jim Schwartz, or will the loss of Myles Garrett be too much to overcome? Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments!

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore