PHILADELPHIA – Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz plans to take a year off as a coach in 2021 while he plans to retire, sources told ESPN.
Philadelphia will be in the market for a new defensive coordinator as he embarks on what promises to be an off-season filled with significant changes for the 4-10-1 team.
Schwartz, 54, plans to let his contract expire. He underwent some minor procedures in the past year, including hip and eye surgery, and believes that moving away from the daily training routine would be in his best interest, a source said.
He also took a gap year in 2015 after being dismissed as a defensive coordinator for Buffalo Bills and worked as a consultant in the NFL refereeing department.
Schwartz joined Doug Pederson’s team in 2016 and helped deliver his first Super Bowl title to the city a year later. The Eagles’ defense ended in first place against the race and fourth in allowed points (18.4) during the championship race in 2017. Schwartz’s unit lost 17 points overall in the playoff wins against the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings before the Super 41-33 Penalties against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
Eagles ranked in the top 10 in quick defense (1st, 93.4 YPG), red zone defense (2nd, 49.5%), third down defense (3rd, 35.4%), scoring defense (7th, 20.8 PPG) and takeaways (9th, 94) throughout their first four seasons.
Best known for allowing their defensive line players to point back and attack, the Eagles are among the top five in sacks in 2020.
The problems have arisen in the past two seasons, in particular. An Achilles’ heel last season was the defense’s propensity to give up the big game, yielding 15 plays from over 40 yards in the air, the second worst in the NFL. In 2020, the group struggled to generate turnover and entered Week 17 with the second lowest number of interceptions (six).
Schwartz’s unit was once again stricken by injuries, with Fletcher Cox, Rodney McLeod, Derek Barnett, Avonte Maddox and Darius Slay among those who lost time in the second half of the season.
“Obviously, their defenses have historically been the best in the National Football League – of course, when the guys are healthy and all,” said coach Doug Pederson this week. “Our relationship has been great. I think as the season progressed this year, I thought the defense was really doing very good things for us and keeping the attack on these football games here at the end of the stretch, creating conclusions and sort of preventing our opponents’ racing game, things like that. “
Schwartz started in the NFL in 1993 as a scout for then Cleveland Browns coach Bill Belichick. He spent five years as a Detroit Lions coach (2009-13), helping the team to its first playoff spot since 1999 in 2011.
He also served as the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans (2001-08) and Bills (2014).
During their time in Tennessee, the Titans won six playoff places, played two AFC championship games and appeared in Super Bowl XXXIV.