Jim Schwartz makes his Eagles departure official, saying he needs to ‘step back’ from day-to-day role

Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz issued a statement Thursday confirming his departure from the team after five seasons. The NFL Network reported last weekend that Schwartz would be leaving the Eagles; the report said he planned to take a year off from coaching, and was contemplating retirement at 54, after hip and eye surgeries.

Schwartz’s statement did not address his health explicitly, but he spoke of having too much respect for the game “to compromise the level of commitment that I believe is necessary to do the job.”

His unit finished tied for 20th in the NFL this season, giving up an average of 26.5 points per game.

“I would like to express my gratitude to Jeffrey Lurie, Coach Pederson, and Howie Roseman, as well as the entire football staff and the many coaches and players I had the honor of working with,” Schwartz said in the statement released by the Eagles. “This has been an incredible five-year run and I relished every moment of it. I feel especially indebted to guys like Fletcher [Cox] BG [Brandon Graham], Rodney [McLeod], and Jalen [Mills], who I had the privilege of coaching all five seasons, as well as Nate [Gerry], DB [Derek Barnett], Vinny [Curry] and many others who I celebrated a Super Bowl Championship with.

“I enjoyed working for this organization and coaching in the City of Philadelphia. I have given my heart and soul to the game of football, not just over the last five years here, but throughout my 32 years as a coach. Although my passion for the game remains strong, it is best for me to step back from the day-to-day of coaching for the time being. I have too much respect for the game and for everybody involved to compromise the level of commitment that I believe is necessary to do the job. I don’t know what my future holds, but I am willing to do anything I can to help this organization in any way. Thank you again to the City of Philadelphia and to the Eagles for an incredible five years. My family and I will never forget our time here.”

There has been no indication yet of what the Eagles might do to replace Schwartz, whose contract expired with the end of the season.

The Eagles have signed to a futures contract Tyree Jackson, a 6-foot-7, 250-pound former University of Buffalo quarterback, with the intention of converting him to tight end. Jackson was a Bills quarterback during the 2019 preseason. He joins another tight end conversion project, former wide receiver Hakeem Butler.