Jim Schwartz is mulling retirement and won’t be back next year, according to NFL reporter Tom Pelissero.

From the NFL.com article:

“Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz intends to allow his contract to expire after Sunday’s finale against Washington and take a year off from coaching, per sources.

Schwartz, 54, has told those close to them that he will contemplate retirement after a 32-year coaching career, including 28 in the NFL and a Super Bowl win three years ago with the Eagles.”

Pelissero says the Eagles had approached Schwartz about signing an extension, but says the 54 year old has had two recent surgeries and is looking for a break from the “daily grind.”

Can’t blame him, can you? We could all use a year off after watching another season of ridiculous, injury-plagued football that featured a general ineptitude on offense and special teams.

The thing about Schwartz is that 54 is still relatively young in coaching terms. Andy Reid is 62 and Bill Belichick is 68. Ron Rivera is 58. Most “football guys” coach well into their 60s in various roles.

Schwartz interviewed for some head coaching gigs following the Eagles’ Super Bowl triumph, but ended up remaining with the Birds. He coached the Lions for four seasons but has spent the majority of the last 20 years as a defensive coordinator for multiple teams and he could just be worn out. Maybe all of this is just tiring him out.

On a macro-level, it’s interesting to think that the Eagles might be able to hire a new defensive coordinator while everybody else stays, which might be disappointing, depending on how you feel about the job performance of Doug Pederson and Howie Roseman. Instead of accountability for poor football, the “change” may just be Schwartz walking away on his own.