The process continues for new Browns coach Todd Monken to find his defensive coordinator.
Jim Schwartz handed in his resignation at the end of last week, leaving a very sizeable vacancy for Monken to fill. Monken had said two days before Schwartz’s official departure that, with or without the veteran defensive coordinator, that his “anticipation is we’re not going to change the system.”
While many names were speculated in the immediate aftermath of Schwartz’s resignation, there’s been six confirmed coaches who have been interviewed or have been requested to be interviewed. That includes a pair of internal candidates.
Those known candidates are, listed alphabetically:
- Ephraim Banda, Browns safeties coach
- Charlie Bullen, Giants outside linebackers coach
- Jonathan Cooley, Panthers defensive pass game coordinator
- Aubrey Pleasant, Rams assistant head coach/defensive pass game coordinator
- Mike Rutenberg, Falcons defensive pass game coordinator
- Jason Tarver, Browns linebackers coach
Here’s a closer biographical look at the known candidates for Browns defensive coordinator:
Age: 44
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
College: Incarnate Word
NFL playing experience: N/A
Browns connections: Served as safeties coach for the Browns since 2023.
Todd Monken connections: N/A
NFL head coach/defensive coordinator connections: 2023-25, Browns, Jim Schwartz
Coaching experience: 2011, Incarnate Word, student assistant; 2012-14, Texas, graduate assistant; 2015, Mississippi State, defensive quality control coach; 2016-17, Miami (Fla.), safeties coach; 2019-20, Miami (Fla.), 2021-22, Utah State, defensive coordinator/safeties coach; 2023-present, Cleveland Browns, safeties coach.
Charlie Bullen, New York Giants outside linebackers coach
Age: 41
Hometown: Palatine, Ill.
College: Harper College; St. Norbert College
NFL playing experience: N/A
Browns connections: N/A
Todd Monken connections: N/A
NFL defensive coordinator connections: 2012-14, Dolphins, Kevin Coyle; 2015, Dolphins, Lou Anarumo/Kevin Coyle; 2016, Dolphins, Vance Joseph; 2017-18, Dolphins, Matt Burke; 2019-22, Cardinals, Vance Joseph; 2024-25, Giants, Shane Bowen
Coaching experience: 2006, Iowa City High School, volunteer assistant; 2007-08, Iowa, student assistant; 2009-11, Iowa, graduate assistant; 2012, Miami Dolphins, defensive assistant; 2013-15, Miami Dolphins, assistant defensive line coach; 2016-18, Miami Dolphins, assistant linebackers coach; 2019, Arizona Cardinals, assistant linebackers coach; 2020-22, Arizona Cardinals, outside linebackers coach; 2023, Illinois, outside linebackers coach/pass rush coordinator; 2024-present, New York Giants, outside linebackers coach; 2025, New York Giants, interim defensive coordinator.
Jonathan Cooley, Carolina Panthers defensive pass game coordinator
Age: 35
Hometown: Gahanna, Ohio
College: John Caroll
NFL playing experience: N/A
Browns connections: N/A
Todd Monken connections: N/A
NFL defensive coordinator connections: 2020, Rams, Brandon Staley; 2021-22, Rams, Raheeem Morris; 2023-present, Panthers, Ejiro Evero
Coaching experience: 2011, Millikin, defensive backs; ; 2012, Bluffton, safeties; 2013-14, John Carroll, secondary; 2015-16, Kentucky, defensive graduate assistant; 2017, Tennessee-Chattanooga, defensive backs; 2018, Kent State, secondary; 2019, Akron, defensive backs; 2020, Los Angeles Rams, defensive assistant/quality control; 2021, Los Angeles Rams, assistant secondary; 2022, Los Angeles Rams, defensive backs; 2023, Carolina Panthers, secondary/cornerbacks; 2024-present, Carolina Panthers, defensive pass game coordinator.
Aubrey Pleasant, Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach/defensive pass game coordinator
Age: 38
Hometown: Flint, Mich.
College: Wisconsin
NFL playing experience: N/A
Browns connections: Served as a coaching intern for the Browns under head coach Rob Chudzinski during the 2013 training camp.
Todd Monken connections: N/A
NFL defensive coordinator connections: 2013, Browns, Ray Horton; 2013-14, Washington (NFL), Jim Haslett; 2015-16, Washington (NFL), Joe Barry; 2017-19, Rams, Wade Phillips; 2020, Rams, Brandon Staley; 2021-22, Lions, Aaron Glenn; 2023-present, Rams, Chris Shula
Coaching experience: 2010, Grand Blanc (Mich.) High School, defensive backs coach; 2011, Michigan, defensive graduate assistant; 2012, Michigan, assistant defensive backs coach; 2013, Cleveland Browns, coaching intern; 2013, Washington (NFL), offensive assistant; 2014-16, Washington (NFL), defensive quality control coach; 2017-20, Los Angeles Rams, cornerbacks coach; 2021-22, Detroit Lions, defensive backs/pass game coordinator; 2022, Green Bay Packers, offensive consultant; 2023, Los Angeles Rams, defensive backs/pass game coordinator; 2024-present, Los Angeles Rams, assistant head coach/pass game coordinators.
Mike Rutenberg, Atlanta Falcons defensive pass game coordinator
Age: 44
Hometown: Bethesda, Maryland
College: Cornell
NFL playing experience: N/A
Browns connections: N/A
Todd Monken connections: N/A
NFL head coach/defensive coordinator connections: 2013-16, Jaguars, Gus Bradley as head coach; 2013-15, Jaguars, Bob Babich; 2016-19, Jaguars, Todd Wash; 2020, 49ers, Robert Saleh; 2021-24, Jets, Robert Saleh as head coach; 2021-24, Jets, Jeff Ulbrich; 2025-present, Falcons, Jeff Ulbrich
Coaching experience: 2003, Washington (NFL), player personnel intern; 2004-05, Washington (NFL), administrative assistant to the head coach; 2006-08, UCLA, graduate assistant; 2009-12, New Mexico State, passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach; 2013-15, Jacksonville Jaguars, assistant defensive backs coach; 2016-17, Jacksonville Jaguars, defensive assistant; 2018-19, Jacksonville Jaguars, assistant linebackers coach; 2020, San Franciso 49ers, pass game specialist; 2021-24, New York Jets, linebackers coach; 2025-present, Atlanta Falcons, defensive pass game coordinator.
Jason Tarver, Cleveland Browns linebackers coach
Age: 51
Hometown: Pleasanton, Calif.
College: UCLA
NFL playing experience: N/A
Browns connections: Spent the last six seasons as trhe linebackers coach under Kevin Stefanski with the Browns.
Todd Monken connections: N/A
NFL head coach/defensive coordinator connections: 2005-07, 49ers, Mike Nolan as head coach; 2005-06, 49ers, Bill Davis; 2008-10, Mike Singletary as head coach; 2008-10, 49ers, Greg Manusky; 2012-14, Raiders, Dennis Allen as head coach; 2015, 49ers, Jim Tomsula as head coach; 2015, 49ers, Eric Mangini; 2016, 49ers, Jim O’Neill; 2017, 49ers, Robert Saleh; 2020-22, Browns, Joe Woods; 2023-25, Browns, Jim Schwartz
Coaching experience: 1996-97, West Valley, linebackers/defensive backs/special teams coach; 1998-200, UCLA, graduate assistant; 2001-03, San Francisco 49ers, offensive quality control coach; 2004, San Francisco 49ers, assistant running backs coach; 2005-10, San Francisco 49ers, outside linebackers coach; 2011, Stanford, defensive coordinator/linebackers coach; 2012-14, Oakland Raiders, defensive coordinator; 2015-17, San Francisco 49ers, linebackers coach; 2018-19, Vanderbilt, defensive coordinator/linebackers coach; 2020-present, Cleveland Browns, linebackers coach
