NASHVILLE – A familiar face is joining Mike Vrabel's coaching staff with the Titans.
On Wednesday, the Titans officially added Jim Schwartz to the coaching staff as senior defensive assistant.
Earlier this offseason, Vrabel promoted Shane Bowen to defensive coordinator, and he's expected to call plays once again in 2021 after doing so as outside linebackers coach last season.
Schwartz will be a resource for Bowen, and the defensive staff.
"We are excited to add Jim to our staff," Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said. "He has a deep level of football knowledge and has overseen a great deal of success on the defensive side of the ball, so it is always good to add a quality coach to our staff. This role will provide our defensive staff with Jim's experience and perspective in the staff meetings and on the practice field."
Schwartz, who has 14 years of experience as a defensive coordinator in the NFL including eight years (2001-08) with the Titans, returns to a place where he had plenty of success earlier in his coaching career.
Schwartz joins the Titans after spending five seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles (2016-20). Overall, during his five seasons with the Eagles, the defense ranked third in third down defense (35.9%), sixth in red zone defense (52.7%), third in rushing defense (99.1 yards per game) and seventh in sacks (208). In 2020, the Eagles defense ranked third in the NFL in sacks with 49, and in 2019, the team led the NFL in three-and-out drives (27.5%). In Philadelphia's Super Bowl winning season (2017), he guided the Eagles to the league's best rushing defense (79.2 yards allowed), the third best third-down defense (32.2%) and the fourth best takeaway total (31).
In his one season as defensive coordinator for Buffalo in 2014, the Bills recorded an NFL-best 54 sacks. Schwartz spent five seasons (2009-13) as the head coach at Detroit, guiding a team that was winless in the season prior to his arrival to a playoff berth in year three.
Schwartz spent 10 years (1999-2008) with the Titans as a coach under Jeff Fisher. In his final season (2008) with Tennessee, the defense ranked third in points allowed (14.2), second in passing yards allowed (161.0) and fifth in sacks (44). During his Titans tenure as defensive coordinator, the defense ranked fifth in rushing yards allowed (103.5) and sixth in third-down defense (36.1%) over the eight-year period. He originally joined the Titans after three seasons (1996-98) with the Baltimore Ravens and four seasons in the college coaching ranks.
