Jim Schwartz was named the head coach of the Detroit Lions on Jan. 16, 2009.

NFL Coaching experience:

Schwartz began his tenure in Detroit following 10 seasons with the Tennessee Titans, including the last eight as defensive coordinator. While with the Titans, he worked under Head Coach Jeff Fisher. In 2008, Schwartz's defense guided the Titans to an NFL-best 13-3 record and an AFC South title. The Titans' defense finished the season ranked in the top 10 in several key defensive categories, including: defensive points allowed (third, 14.2), total yards allowed (seventh, 293.6), rushing yards allowed (sixth, 93.9), passing yards allowed, third down percentage allowed (6th, 35.0) and sacks (fifth, 44).

Tennessee was one of only six teams to finish among the top 10 in the league in both rushing yards and passing yards allowed.

As the Titans' defensive coordinator since 2001, Schwartz's defensive unit held firm in two major defensive categories that factored significantly in the team's overall success: rushing defense and third down conversion. From 2001-08, Tennessee ranks fifth in rushing yards allowed per game (103.5) and sixth in third down conversion (36.1).

During his tenure as defensive coordinator, the Titans claimed two AFC South titles (2002 and 2008), earned two other AFC Wild Card spots (2003 and 2007), and finished with 10 wins in four seasons, including 2002 (11-5), 2003 (12-4), 2007 (10-6) and 2008 (13-3).

In 2007, the Titans defense helped rejuvenate the team and led the team's return to the playoffs. Among the NFL's rankings, Schwartz's defensive unit completed the season among the league best in the following categories: total yards allowed (fifth, 291.6), rushing yards allowed (fifth, 92.4), passing yards allowed (10th 192.2), defensive points allowed (17.3, 7th), first down yards per play allowed (4.34, first), sacks (40, seventh) and takeaways (34, sixth).

The Titans limited three teams in 2007 under 200 total offensive yards, and All-Pro RB LaDainian Tomlinson was held to the lowest rushing total of his career (42) with 20 or more carries in the playoff loss to Chargers.

Schwartz managed a defense that, much like the rest of Tennessee's team, was in transition during the 2005 and 2006 seasons. That unit replaced seven regular starters from the 2004 squad with new and, often younger, talent. Schwartz's defense held their own throughout the process, and one example of that was when Tennessee held the Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts and their high-powered offense in 2006 to a combined 31 points in both games, the lowest tally allowed by a Colts division opponent in the history of the AFC South.

The 2005 Titans defense was one of the youngest defenses in the NFL with their average years of experience being only 3.5 years. That defense included two starting rookie cornerbacks for only the second time in the team's 46-year history, and the unit ranked eighth in third down percentage allowed (35.5), ninth in sacks (41) and second in three-and-out drives (31.3 pct.).

For just the second time in franchise history, and first since 1993, Schwartz put together a defense that finished first in the NFL in rushing defense. Finishing in the top 10 in rush defense extended the team's streak of nine consecutive seasons ranked in the top 10. That nine-year streak was also the longest streak in the league at the time.

As remarkable as it was for the Titans defense to finish first in rushing yards allowed, it was even more remarkable of a feat considering the talented rushers they faced nearly week-in and week-out. That year, the Titans faced eight (total of 10 games) of the NFL's top 13 rushers who combined for 12,018 yards on the season. The Titans' defense dominated the league's leading rusher, Ravens RB Jamal Lewis who rushed for over 2,000 yards that season, in the AFC Wild Card game as the team held Lewis to just 35 yards. It was Lewis' second-lowest single-game rushing tally as a starter in the NFL through that year.

Combined with the stellar rushing defense was the strong effort by the defense on third down, once again proving a common theme of Schwartz's defense. The Titans led the league in third down defense by allowing an opponent conversion percentage of 27.7. It was the lowest in franchise history and the lowest in the NFL since 1998 (Oakland Raiders, 26.3).

Beyond those two categories the Titans defense ranked fourth in the AFC in red-zone defense (43.9 pct.), fifth in the AFC in takeaways (34) and it recorded the most interceptions (21) by a Titans defense since 1995.

In just his second-year as the Titans defensive coordinator, Schwartz's defense finished in the top 10 as they persevered through a season which they lost All-Pro DE Jevon Kearse to injury and added six new defensive starters. In 2002, the Tennessee defense finished fifth overall in defensive points allowed (282).

Prior to his eight seasons as the Titans defensive coordinator, Schwartz contributed to the Titans defense as the linebackers coach where he also coordinated the team's third down package in 2000. That year, the Titans led the NFL in opponent third down efficiency by allowing a league-low 30.8 percent. He also was instrumental in the integration of newly-acquired linebacker Randall Godfrey into the Titans defensive scheme, as he set career highs in tackles (169) and interceptions (2).

Schwartz originally joined the Titans in 1999 as defensive assistant/quality control. In his first year with the club, the team claimed the AFC Championship and earned a berth in Super Bowl XXXIV.

Before joining the Titans in 1999, he spent three years (1996-98) as a defensive assistant/quality control coach with the Baltimore Ravens. During his tenure in Baltimore, he also coached the team's outside linebackers. After the Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore following the 1995 season, Schwartz made the transition from player personnel to coaching. From 1993-95, he worked in the Browns' player personnel department, serving as both a college and pro scout. During his time with the Browns, he also assisted the coaching staff, headed by Bill Belichick, on defense with film breakdowns and scouting reports.

In addition to his pro coaching and scouting experience, Schwartz worked on the college level for four years before moving onto the NFL. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Maryland, tutoring the Terrapins' linebackers from 1989-90 and then served as graduate assistant at the University of Minnesota (1990-91). He became a position coach in the secondary at North Carolina Central (1991-92) before moving to Colgate (1992) as linebackers coach.

The Baltimore, Md., native was a four-year letterwinner as a linebacker at Georgetown University, where he earned a degree in economics. He received Distinguished Economics Graduate honors at Georgetown, and in 1998 he earned numerous honors that include Division III CoSIDA/GTE Academic All-America, All-America and team captain.

Jim and his wife, Kathy, have twins Christian and Allison along with a younger daughter Maria.