SAN FRANCISCO — The Cleveland Browns didn’t just attend NFL Honors on Thursday night; they owned the podium. Moments after Myles Garrett secured his second career Defensive Player of the Year award, his rookie teammate Carson Schwesinger completed one of the most improbable rises in football history, claiming the 2025 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year title.
For a franchise that once gambled the No. 33 overall pick on a former UCLA walk-on, the payout was immediate and massive. Schwesinger didn’t just fill a roster spot; he became the heartbeat of the NFL’s fourth-ranked defense, finishing the season with a rookie-leading 146 tackles.
From Zero Stars to NFL Hardware
Schwesinger’s path to the stage in San Francisco reads like a movie script rejected for being too unrealistic. He wasn’t recruited to UCLA out of high school. He had to convince the coaching staff to take him. He didn’t even start until his final college season.
Yet, in his first year as a pro, he looked like a ten-year veteran. Schwesinger posted double-digit tackles in seven games—including a six-game streak that was the longest in the league this season. His final stat line is staggering for a first-year linebacker: 146 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions.
“I’m truly humbled and honored to receive this,” Schwesinger said, clutching the trophy after being introduced by his father, Dennis. “I’ve been blessed to be able to go out and play the game that I love and I never want to take that for granted.”
The voting wasn’t close. Schwesinger swept 40 of the 50 first-place votes, tallying 441 points to leave Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (199 points) a distant second.
“He Did Everything, Including Call the Plays”
The rookie’s impact went beyond the box score. By mid-season, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had handed the defensive play-calling duties—the “green dot” helmet—to the 22-year-old.
Schwesinger’s toughness became folklore in Cleveland. He played through a high ankle sprain and a quadriceps injury that lingered for weeks. He delivered bone-jarring hits, including a shoulder-busting tackle on Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz, and secured a crucial interception off Drake Maye in Week 8 against New England.
“Middle linebacker is hard… A lot of times it takes guys sort of piecemeal to put all of that stuff together. He’s been right in the middle of it… very rarely makes a mistake. When he does make a mistake, it doesn’t repeat.” — Jim Schwartz, Browns Defensive Coordinator
“Huge thanks to the Browns organization… My teammates always had my back, this wouldn’t be possible without you guys.” — Carson Schwesinger, 2025 DROY
Analysis: The Defense is Set, Now All Eyes on Monken
With Garrett and Schwesinger anchoring the unit, Cleveland’s defense is championship-ready. The duo becomes the first pair of teammates to sweep the DPOY and DROY awards since the Saints did it in 2017. Schwesinger joins Chip Banks (1982) as the only Browns players to ever win the rookie defensive honor.
The question for the 2026 season now shifts to the other side of the ball. Owner Jimmy Haslam has made it clear he wants a “fun offense to watch” and is putting his trust in Todd Monken to deliver it. If Monken can construct an attack that matches the ferocity of Schwartz’s defense, the Browns won’t just be winning individual awards next February—they’ll be hunting for a Lombardi.
