The Cleveland Browns have finally made their big decision and have selected Mike Rutenberg as their new defensive coordinator. This comes after weeks of the Browns attempting to navigate the tricky Jim Schwartz situation.
As expected, the reaction to Rutenberg has been mixed. Some people are excited to see what he can do with the team’s already-strong defense, while others are fearful that he will fall dreadfully short of what Schwartz achieved.
Connor Hughes shared a story about Rutenberg and his past work with Robert Saleh.
Saleh, who collaborated with Rutenberg when they both were at the New York Jets, was blown away by his talent and predicted that it wouldn’t be long before he was a defensive coordinator.
“I remember talking to Robert Saleh about his original young staff with the #Jets when he first got hired. Rudy was one of the guys he pointed out. Said it wouldn’t be long before he was a DC. He played a big role in development of Jamien Sherwood, Quincy Williams with the #NYJ. Here he is getting his shot with Myles Garrett & the #Browns,” Hughes wrote.
I remember talking to Robert Saleh about his original young staff with the #Jets when he first got hired. Rudy was one of the guys he pointed out. Said it wouldn’t be long before he was a DC.
He played a big role in development of Jamien Sherwood, Quincy Williams with the #NYJ.…
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) February 16, 2026
Rutenberg has made his way around the league since starting his career, working as an assistant coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, and the Jets.
As the Jets’ linebacker coach, Rutenberg was one of the reasons why Quincy Williams and Jamien Sherwood became star-level talents. Williams was able to claim his first All-Pro selection while working with Rutenberg.
Most recently, Rutenberg was with the Atlanta Falcons, where he worked as a defensive pass game coordinator. It wasn’t until eight games into the season that the Falcons allowed an opponent to crack 200 passing yards in a game, a good sign of how well the defense was working.
Rutenberg is walking into a good situation, as the Browns have one of the most promising defenses in the league. Still, some people are afraid because he has never been an official defensive coordinator before. And he is joining Todd Monken, who has never been a head coach before. A lot of the people in Cleveland will be experiencing the growing pains of being first-time coaches next season.
Saleh is a well-respected NFL figure, and he typically knows what he is talking about.
Therefore, his sentiment about Rutenberg will be listened to, and it could be a sign that the Browns might have made the right pick to replace Schwartz.
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