Mike Rutenberg believes at the heart of being a leader is ability to build relationships.
He observed the concept of leading through relationships from Jeff Ulbrich, who he coached under at the Jets from 2021-24 and again at the Falcons during the 2025 season. As he experienced the impact of creating and sustaining relationships, he embodied the same approach.
"That's been my approach to find out what's important to the players," Rutenberg said. "It just goes back to finding what's important to everybody, finding out their why, sharing my why. Maybe their why is football. Maybe their why is a hobby. Maybe their why is their family. And if we can find something to connect, it'll always come back to the heart. And we when that happens in my experiences, it's unbreakable bond. When things get hard, you thrive in those moments."
As Rutenberg learns about his defensive players on the field and builds those relationships off the field, he understands the task of continuing the success the Browns' defense has had in recent years.
Rutenberg inherited a defense that played with a prominent pass rush in a four-down attack style system, a scheme that has allowed the Browns' defense to be successful the previous three seasons.
Since 2023, the Browns rank first in total yards per game, opponent first downs allowed per game, third down percentage, fourth down percentage, total passing yards per game and first downs per pass attempt. They have the most team tackles for loss with 342 and are third in team sacks with 143. They are also tied for second with eight defensive touchdowns.
In 2025 alone, the Browns' defense ranked first in team tackles for loss and tied for first with four defensive touchdowns. They were third in sacks per pass attempt, opponent passing yards per game and team sacks. They were also fourth in total yards allowed per game and total net yards allowed.
"It's always going to be style over scheme," Rutenberg said. "No matter what, the way we play, how hard we play, playing for each other, how fast we play and how violent we play. And that's always going to be over scheme. Us going after the ball and then putting our players in the best positions to be successful, it's always going to start with the front. It forever and always will in the history of football. And we're going to continue to do that."
Rutenberg wants to keep those traits moving forward, especially on the defensive line that features two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year DE Myles Garrett.
"I don't think I could be more excited," Rutenberg said of Garrett. "I'm beyond fired up. I can't wait to see all of his superpowers, learn about his superpowers and figure out what's best for him to help him continue to achieve those superpowers."
While Garrett garners much attention from opposing offenses, his teammates have been able to take advantage and play with that same attacking approach. And Rutenberg wants to continue to see the same mentality across all levels of the defense.
"Keep attacking, keep getting downhill," Rutenberg said. "Keep attacking, keep getting downhill. Not only Myles, you've got great players across the front. Maliek (Collins), Alex (Wright), Isaiah (McGuire), Mason Graham. I could keep going across the front, and the backers behind them who were involved with Carson (Schwesinger) and obviously (Devin Bush) had a great year last year and (Mohamoud Diabate) had a great year and the safety's behind them with Grant (Delpit) and Rocket (Ronnie Hickman), everybody's involved, but it's always going to go back to the front."
As Rutenberg fashions the defensive scheme for 2026, he is surrounded by a number of coaches who were previously with the Browns' coaching staff, and people Rutenberg has established relationships from other stops throughout his career.
He knew defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire from their individual times at the University of San Diego, each working for Dale Lindsey. He connected with run game coordinator/linebackers coach Jason Tarver from their own stops at the 49ers, when Tarver was first the assistant running backs coach in 2004 and Ulbrich was playing for San Francisco, and Rutenberg was the pass game specialist in 2020. He crossed paths with pass game coordinator Ephraim Banda when they each first entered the league and built their relationship.
Since Rutenberg arrived in Cleveland, he also met other coaches, such as defensive backs coach/pass game specialist Brandon Lynch, defensive assistant/nickelbacks coach Jeff Anderson and defensive assistant/assistant linebackers coach Zach Dunn. They brought in Ralph Street as an assistant defensive line coach, Paul Worrilow as a defensive quality control coach and Shaq Wilson as a defensive analyst, as well as Dom Capers to serve as a defensive assistant, to round out the staff.
Rutenberg said his relationship with Capers dates back to 2019, when Rutenberg was the assistant linebacker coach for the Jaguars and Capers was a senior defensive assistant. The two shared an office in the defensive staff room, and Capers gave Rutenberg his manual for Kevin Greene.
"That is like gold to any coach," Rutenberg said. "The manual for Kevin Greene. And Dom was obviously instrumental in coaching Kevin and all those great defenses. But what hasn't Dom seen? Like what scheme hasn't he seen, what style hasn't he seen, what technique, what evaluation process? So, we're all going to rely on Dom. A to Z and Z to A. And what's amazing about Dom is he does it literally from his heart. He just does it to help. And all the people he's done this for in previous roles would echo that. So cannot wait to keep working with coach Capers."
As Rutenberg steps into his role as defensive coordinator for the Browns, he will also take on new responsibilities – including defensive playcalling. Rutenberg said at his previous two stops with the Falcons and the Jets, he was given opportunities to call plays during preseason games, call it periods and scrimmages. He thinks that learning from those hands-on experiences, as well as receiving advice and suggestions to improve, will help as he navigates playcalling for the defense.
As he takes his new role head on, meets his players and builds their defensive scheme, Rutenberg continues to bring a level of passion to his daily work – a trait he has carried with him throughout his career.
"My dad always told me, have a steel chin, chin up," Rutenberg said. "Have a steel chin. Take your shots and keep going. Be a drill bit. So, you just go, you just go, you just go. And we go with positive energy. It's real now. It's honest, it's fair, but it's going to be positive, bringing swag, bringing celebrations. And everybody, in my opinion, wants to be told they did well. That's human nature. So, let's tell people we did well. But at the same time, when it's time to address certain things that need to get better, let's show them how good they were, and let's take them there as players, coaches, and all of us. And that's just the only way I know how to be."
