Jim Schwartz is older than he looks. He’s been coaching in the NFL since 1996 when the late Ted Marchibroda hired him to tutor the Baltimore Ravens’ outside linebackers.
He remembers when there wasn’t that much of a difference size-wise between the linebackers he coached and safeties. When safeties were better known for their hitting and run-stopping ability than their skill at covering receivers.
“I’ve been around a while, when safeties had nicknames like ‘Thumper,’ ’’ the Eagles defensive coordinator said this week. “I had a guy in Tennessee. His first name was Tank [Williams]. Tank was a helluva player.