The Ravens have their next head coach, and it's a familiar face.
Jesse Minter has agreed to terms to become the Ravens' head coach, a day after a reported in-person second interview in Baltimore.
"I am truly honored to serve as the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens," Minter stated. "This is an organization whose values, culture and tradition of excellence reflect everything I believe about the game of football and how it should be played."
Previously the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Chargers, Minter was one of the hottest coaches in this year's cycle. He also had a second interview with the Las Vegas Raiders, and was scheduled to interview with the Cleveland Browns before cancelling.
Minter will be the fourth head coach in the Ravens' 31-year franchise history, following John Harbaugh's 18-year run.
"Jesse was impressive throughout our incredibly thorough interview process," Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti stated. "He clearly understands the values, high expectations and history of the Ravens, and he has a great vision for the future. Jesse's football acumen is outstanding, and that's been proven by the impact he's made throughout his entire coaching career."
"Jesse is a strong leader who possesses a brilliant football mind and a spirit that will resonate with our players and fanbase alike," General Manager Eric DeCosta stated. "Jesse comes from a football family, with success at every level of the sport, and we are confident that he is the right coach to lead the Ravens forward."
Minter worked for both Harbaugh brothers, learning from that successful football family and his own. Now Minter will be tasked with leading the Ravens over the playoff hump that stymied Harbaugh's Ravens in recent years.
A proven leader and teacher, brilliant defensive mind, and product of a coaching family, Minter is well-equipped to have instant success in his return to Baltimore. It's where Minter, 42, got his start in the NFL.
Minter spent four seasons on Harbaugh's staff, working his way up from a defensive assistant in 2017 to defensive backs coach in 2020.
Minter left to be Vanderbilt's defensive coordinator in 2021, then joined forces with Jim Harbaugh at Michigan in 2022, winning a national championship as Michigan's defensive coordinator a year later. When Jim was hired to be the Los Angeles head coach, he brought Minter with him to lead his defense.
While Minter's Harbaugh connections are strong, he has a Mike Macdonald throughline. Minter has followed the Macdonald path, and the Ravens are hoping he has similar results with Macdonald's top-seeded Seahawks set to play in the NFC Championship two years into the job.
When Macdonald graduated from defensive assistant to position coach in Baltimore, Minter replaced him. When Macdonald left Michigan to return to the Ravens as their defensive coordinator, Minter replaced him in Ann Arbor.
The two worked together for four years on Baltimore's staff (2017-2020) and helped craft the Ravens' innovative defensive scheme. Macdonald took it to Seattle when he became the Seahawks' head coach two years ago, and Minter took it to Los Angeles.
Minter deploys a modern defense heavy on versatility and disguises, while still stressing simplicity for players. He's adept at putting his players in positions to succeed, and will have a plan for how to deploy safety Kyle Hamilton â one of the top defenders in football â and more.
In his first year as the Chargers' defensive coordinator, their unit jumped from ranked 24th in points and 28th in yards to first in points and 11th in yards. Last season, the Chargers ranked No. 5 in total defense this year and ninth in points allowed.
They had the 11th-most sacks in the league and were tied with the seventh-most takeaways. After being traded from Baltimore to Los Angeles, pass rusher Odafe Oweh exploded with 10.5 sacks in 13 games, including the playoffs.
The Ravens, meanwhile, have had defensive struggles the past two seasons, especially when it comes to protecting leads. If Minter brings back a 2023 version of Baltimore's defense, when it ranked first in the league in fewest points allowed, and pairs it with Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and the team's other offensive weapons, that could be a formula that wins big.
Minter hails from a football family â another Harbaugh parallel. Minter's father, Rick Minter, has been a football coach for the past nearly 50 years.
Rick was twice the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame, a college head coach at Cincinnati for a decade, a linebackers coach with the Philadelphia Eagles, and had many other stops. Eventually, he worked for his son as an assistant on Jesse's staff at Michigan and Los Angeles.
A former wide receiver at Mount St. Joseph University in Ohio, Jesse has been around football his entire life. His coaching career took off in Baltimore. Now he returns to the big office at the Under Armour Performance Center, ready to help the Ravens get back to championship form.
