Mike Rutenberg ’03 has landed his next NFL coaching job with the Cleveland Browns.
Before his time coaching in the NFL, Rutenberg was a member of the sprint football team while an undergrad at Cornell. He was a member of the team's defensive unit, playing as a linebacker.
This appointment does not come as a surprise, as Rutenberg was being viewed as a top defensive coordinator candidate for teams around the league. Only a few weeks ago, it was reported the Tennessee Titans viewed Rutenberg as a “leading candidate” for their defensive coordinator position.
Rutenberg immediately entered the professional football coaching scene after his time at Cornell, first as a player personal intern for the Washington Commanders.
Following the completion of his internship, Rutenberg remained with the Commanders, being hired as an administrative assistant to the head coach. He would hold this position for two seasons before becoming a defensive graduate assistant at the University of California, Los Angeles while pursuing a master’s degree in education.
Rutenberg’s first major coaching position was with New Mexico State, where he served as passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach.
Shortly after being hired by the Aggies, an article highlighting Rutenberg’s extremely low, thirty-thousand-a-year salary was published by the St. Cloud Times. Rutenberg and another assistant coach from Louisiana-Monroe were reportedly among the two lowest-paid coaches out of about 900 in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, the highest level of college football.
However, only a few years later, Rutenberg found himself coaching in the NFL. In 2013, Rutenberg joined the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team he would stay with for seven seasons, being promoted three times throughout his tenure. The highlight of Rutenberg’s time with the Jaguars was being on the coaching staff of the 2017 Jaguars that came within one game of reaching the Super Bowl.
After the 2019 season, Rutenberg joined the San Francisco 49ers for a season as the passing game specialist, followed by a four-season stint as the linebackers coach for the New York Jets. During Rutenberg’s time at the helm of the Jets’ defensive line, it was routinely one of the best in the league, ranking in the top five three seasons in a row.
Following the expiration of Jets defensive coordinator and Rutenberg's boss Jeff Ulbrich’s contract, Ulbrich signed a deal to become the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons. Rutenberg joined Ulbrich’s new defensive unit, becoming defensive pass game coordinator for the Falcons.
After another impressive season from Rutenberg, it was clear his name would be in contention for open defensive coordinator positions around the league. The Cleveland Browns ultimately won the race, securing Rutenberg as their defensive coordinator for the foreseeable future.
Rutenberg's arrival in Cleveland comes at the perfect time, as the future of the team's defense unit seems to be bright.
The Cleveland Browns recently left the NFL Honors, having swept the defensive player of the year awards. Myles Garrett was the unanimous winner of the 2025 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, having broken the NFL single-sack record this season. Additionally, Carson Schwesinger was voted the 2025 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Rutenberg will have a complete offseason to evaluate and build his defensive unit ahead of next season, which is slated to begin in September.
Matthew Leonard is a member of the Class of 2028 in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He is the assistant sports editor of the 143rd Editorial Board. He can be reached at mleonard@cornellsun.com.
