Mitchell Schwartz

Mitchell Bryan Schwartz was born on June 8, 1989, in Pacific Palisades, California. He began playing football in high school at Palisades Charter, where his large stature at 6 feet 5 inches and 240 pounds as a freshman prevented him from joining youth leagues due to size restrictions. He excelled in high school, transitioning from quarterback to a four-year starter at offensive tackle, achieving two-time All-State honors and being named the 2006 California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Los Angeles City Offensive Lineman of the Year. Academically, he maintained a 4.3 GPA and a 34 ACT score, earning spots on the Principal’s Honor Roll and Dean’s List. He ultimately chose to play college football at the University of California, Berkeley, where he majored in American Studies with an emphasis on human development and identity.

At the University of California, Berkeley, Schwartz started all 51 possible games from 2008 to 2011, switching between left and right tackle. His collegiate career was marked by consistent performance, earning him second-team All-Pac-10 as a junior and first-team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Academic honors as a senior. He was also a three-time recipient of the Brick Muller Award as Cal’s Most Valuable Offensive Lineman. His impressive college tenure led to him being selected by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft, making him Cal’s highest selection that year. He quickly established himself in the NFL, starting all 16 games of his rookie year and all 1,064 offensive snaps at right tackle, earning a spot on the Pro Football Focus (PFF) 2012 All-Rookie Team for his exceptional pass blocking.

Schwartz continued his consistent performance with the Cleveland Browns, starting every game and playing every offensive snap for four consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2015. In 2016, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs for a five-year, $33 million contract, becoming one of the highest-paid right tackles in the NFL. He earned multiple All-Pro selections during his time with the Chiefs, including a first-team All-Pro nod in 2018. In 2019, he signed a one-year contract extension, making him the second-highest paid right tackle. He was a key part of the Chiefs’ offensive line contributing to their Super Bowl LIV victory in 2020. Schwartz remarkably maintained a streak of 7,894 consecutive snaps before a knee injury in November 2019 forced him to miss three snaps and later led to his retirement in July 2022 after not playing the 2021 season.