PHILADELPHIA – Eagles defense coordinator Jim Schwartz plans to take down the year of coaching in 2021 if he plans to retire, sources told ESPN.
Philadelphia will be in the market for a new defense coordinator as it begins an off-season full of significant change for the 4-10-1 team.
Schwartz, 54, plans to have his contract expired. He has had several minor procedures over the past year, including hip and eye surgeries, and believes it is in his best interest to return from the day-to-day coaching of coaching.
He also took a one-year sabbatical in 2015 after being released as a Buffalo Bills defense coordinator and working with the NFL’s ministry division in a consulting position.
Schwartz joined Doug Pederson’s staff in 2016 and a year later helped secure the city’s first Super Bowl title. The Eagles’ defense finished in first place against the run and fourth in the allowed points (18.4) during the championship in 2017. Schwartz’s unit conceded 17 points in the playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings ahead of the 41 -33 Super Bakkie battle against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
The Eagles were among the top 10 in the rushing defense (1st, 93.4 YPG), red zone defense (2nd, 49.5%), third defense (3rd, 35.4%), scoring defense (7th, 20.8 PPG) and takeaways (9th), 94) over his first four seasons.
The Eagles are best known for allowing their defensive lineouts to poke their ears back and attack, but are in the top five in pockets by 2020.
Especially in the last two seasons, problems have come under scrutiny. An Achilles heel last season was the defense’s tendency to give up the big game, yielding 15 plays over 40 yards through the air, the second worst in the NFL. In 2020, the group struggled to generate revenue and entered week 17 with the second fewest interceptions (six).
Schwartz’s unit was again hit hard by injuries, with Fletcher Cox, Rodney McLeod, Derek Barnett, Avonte Maddox and Darius Slay among those who missed time in the second half of the season.
“Obviously his defense has historically been the best defense in the National Football League – of course if guys are healthy and all that,” coach Doug Pederson said this week. “Our relationship was great. I thought the defense did really good things for us over the course of the season this year and kept the offense in these football games here further, which created takeaways and stimulated the run. opponents, things like that. ‘
Schwartz began her career in the NFL in 1993 as a staff scout for then-coach Bill Belichick of the Cleveland Browns. He spent five years coaching the Detroit Lions (2009-13) and helped the team to the first playoffs in 2011 since 1999.
He was also the defense coordinator for the Tennessee Titans (2001-08) and Bills (2014).
During his time with Tennessee, the Titans earned six playoff spots, played in two AFC championship games, and appeared in Super Bowl XXXIV.