The San Francisco 49ers have advanced Jim Schwartz to a second-round interview as the franchise continues its search for a new defensive coordinator ahead of the 2026 season, according to league sources.
The move signals that Schwartz has quickly emerged as one of the leading candidates to replace Robert Saleh, who departed to become the head coach of the Tennessee Titans.
Schwartz remains under contract with the Cleveland Browns, but multiple reports indicate he is open to a move after being passed over for the head coaching job following Cleveland’s decision to hire Todd Monken. His frustration with the situation has made him increasingly available to interested teams.
From San Francisco’s perspective, the appeal is clear. Schwartz brings more than three decades of NFL coaching experience and has served as either a head coach or defensive coordinator in nearly every season since 2001.
Most notably, Schwartz coordinated the Super Bowl-winning Eagles defense in 2017, and as recently as the 2025 season, his Browns unit ranked among the league’s best in EPA per play and overall efficiency.
A potential hire would represent a philosophical shift for the 49ers defense. Under recent regimes, San Francisco leaned heavily on a four-man rush with limited blitzing and zone-heavy coverage. Schwartz, by contrast, favors aggressive man coverage and higher blitz rates, a system designed to dictate terms rather than react.
That schematic change could also trigger personnel adjustments, particularly in the secondary. The current 49ers roster lacks multiple proven man-to-man defenders, meaning a Schwartz-led defense could influence offseason roster decisions.
Still, the fact that San Francisco has already brought Schwartz back for a second interview suggests strong mutual interest. While contractual hurdles remain, momentum appears to be building toward a potential partnership.
As the 49ers look to reassert themselves as NFC contenders, the defensive coordinator hire looms as one of the most consequential decisions of the offseason—and Jim Schwartz is now firmly in the spotlight.
