ExtremeRavens

Rick Minter’s 71-year-old eyes have seen a lot of football in a nearly half-century of coaching and roaming college and NFL sidelines, so it’s easy for him to recognize patterns, on the field and in people. Intensity. Detail-oriented. Process-driven. An analytical mind. Ability to adapt on the fly. Honesty. These are traits that some around football, at the pro and college level, have ascribed to Minter’s son, Jesse, the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator who on Thursday was named the head coach of the Ravens after John Harbaugh was fired two weeks ago following 18 seasons. But the elder Minter, who is a senior defensive analyst (for now) for the Chargers and was the one-time boss of Harbaugh at the University of Cincinnati also sees them in another coach 2,764 miles northwest of Baltimore. “I think if you look at it from the Ravens point of view, one [they’re] familiar with Jesse, and two there’s a blueprint out there right now,” he said. “It’s out in Seattle with Mike and what he’s doing.” The Mike, of course, is Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, who has Seattle on the precipice of its first Super Bowl appearance since 2015 in what is just his second year at the helm. That Macdonald and the youngest of the two Minter boys are viewed similarly is also not surprising. Before each landed gigs running teams, they were ascendant assistants together in Baltimore from 2017 to 2020. Macdonald, now 38, began his NFL career there as a defensive assistant in 2015 and eventually worked his way up to defensive coordinator in 2022 with a stint in the same role at Michigan in between. The Ravens were also the first NFL job for Minter, now 42, after a call from Rick Minter to Harbaugh in 2017. There, he coached defensive backs before leaving to become Vanderbilt’s defensive coordinator in 2021 then Michigan’s in 2022 after Macdonald had returned to Baltimore to become its defensive coordinator. Now, the question is whether he can he replicate the success of Macdonald, whose 24-10 record across two regular seasons included a 14-3 mark this season and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. “Mike and Jesse are connected at the hip,” Rick Minter said. “He’s doing it the exact same way that people in Baltimore will no doubt envision as a possibility. Good strong defense, balanced offense and, in this case, you still have a two-time MVP at quarterback [Lamar Jackson].” Next week, the Ravens will formally introduce Minter as the organization’s fourth head coach. It was a grueling, two-plus-week process for Baltimore’s decision makers, who searched near and far for the right successor to two decades of stability and championship pedigree. The blueprint, as Rick aptly called it, is out there for Minter to steal, tweak and own. It started two years ago, on April 8, 2024, in an auditorium just southeast of Seattle. There, Macdonald held his first team meeting as head coach. He stood at the front of the room holding a single sheet of paper in his left hand and a remote in his right. Macdonald scanned the room, “Man, this is pretty awesome, huh, guys?” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald celebrates after a win over the 49ers in the NFC divisional round. Macdonald has a 24-10 record across two regular seasons, including a 14-3 mark this season and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) The Seahawks posted clips this week harkening back to Macdonald’s first day on the job; how prophetic his first day proved to be. The first-year coach waxed about a vision for the program. He challenged players to visualize a January NFC championship game — much like the one they’ll play Sunday night versus the Rams — in the rain and the wind. Macdonald set an expectation. Over the next two years, he built a winner. Seahawks players are an extension of Macdonald, the architect who welded his own principles, much of that carried over from Baltimore, with the once-lost fabric of Seattle’s Legion of Boom. “Jesse will do the same thing,” said Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea, who hired Minter away from Baltimore for a year as his defensive coordinator. “He’s not going to come in and try to strip everything off the walls and make it his. He’s going to be very respectful of what it’s been — obviously he’s been a part of that — and yet he’s gonna be methodical making sure his DNA is in the program, too.” When Macdonald was hired, then 36, he became the NFL’s youngest head coach. He replaced the league’s most senior coach, 72-year-old Pete Carroll. Macdonald was hired by an organization that parted ways with a Super Bowl-winning coach whose tenure had run dry after a season in which the defense regressed, and its offense underperformed. Sound familiar? Related Articles 5 potential candidates to become the Ravens’ next offensive coordinator Mike Preston: Ravens get back to roots with Jesse Minter hire | COMMENTARY NFL pundits react to Ravens hiring Jesse Minter as coach: ‘Brilliant’ READER POLL: How would you grade the Ravens’ hire of coach Jesse Minter? Instant analysis: Ravens hire Jesse Minter as head coach OK, Seattle’s circumstances weren’t exactly the same as Baltimore’s. But there are obvious parallels, both from an organizational standpoint and that of the 30-something each team hired. Minter has had a long run of successful defenses, which the Ravens see as their gateway to reigniting what was once the most feared unit in football. In Baltimore, he’ll have perhaps the league’s most versatile safety, Kyle Hamilton, at his disposal, complemented by multiple All-Pros and a batch of high-upside youngsters. It took Macdonald two years to reach the doorstep of the Super Bowl. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti has made it clear that he wants to win now; while fairly acknowledging, he’ll have to be a little patient. In Minter, the Ravens’ brass see their version of what Seattle could enjoy this weekend. “Jesse was impressive throughout our incredibly thorough interview process,” Bisciotti said in a statement. “He clearly understands the values, high expectations and history of the Ravens, and he has a great vision for the future.” Careers in coaching are rarely linear, but there are plenty of common threads that weave through the league and ties that bind. When Macdonald was the defensive coordinator at Michigan, he called Lea about defensive line coach Mike Elston, who had previously worked with Lea at Notre Dame. Elston went to Ann Arbor, where his path overlapped with Minter’s before both followed Jim Harbaugh to the Chargers. Since then, Lea, who was the Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year each of the past two seasons, has spent time with Macdonald in Seattle and Minter in L.A., and he sees some similarities as well. “The common threads are, they’re both really smart, they’re both process-driven, they’re both critical thinkers, they both tend to adjust and adapt,” Lea said. “What Mike’s done in Seattle is a great example of a year-to-year adjustment that unlocks performance. What he’s done with respect to hanging on to aspects of what the Seahawks have been but also kind of slowly folding in his personality and his vision has allowed that organization to find success early.” On the field, the patterns are more easily detectable. Broadly speaking, simulated pressures, fundamentally sound zone coverages with a mix of man coverage are the baseline principles that are the foundation of their defenses. “He’s smart,” Lea said of Minter. “Smart people figure stuff out.” Macdonald did it. The Ravens will watch Sunday night’s game believing that Minter can too. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article

After more than two weeks, the Ravens’ search for a new head coach is over. The team announced Jesse Minter as the next man in charge Thursday. Now, the focus shifts to what comes next — particularly how Minter builds his first coaching staff in Baltimore. At the center of that process is the most important decision he’ll make early on: who will call plays for quarterback Lamar Jackson, who remains under contract for at least two more seasons. Here are five potential candidates to fill that role: Joe Brady Brady has served as Buffalo’s offensive coordinator for the past three seasons, overseeing one of the league’s most consistent offenses. During that span, the Bills finished with a top-five scoring offense and a top-10 rushing attack each year, including the NFL’s best rushing offense in 2025. Quarterback Josh Allen totaled 7,399 passing yards and 53 passing touchdowns under Brady, posting a top-seven QBR in all three seasons. The Ravens interviewed Brady twice for their head coaching vacancy, most recently Thursday, just before Jesse Minter was hired. He was the final candidate to meet with the organization. Brady could also factor into Buffalo’s plans following the firing of head coach Sean McDermott earlier this week. He interviewed for the Bills’ opening Wednesday. Davis Webb Webb has overseen the rapid development of Broncos quarterback Bo Nix over the past two seasons. He served as Denver’s quarterbacks coach from 2023 to 2024 before adding offensive pass game coordinator to his title this season. Under Webb, Nix threw for 7,706 yards and 54 touchdowns, guiding the Broncos to the AFC championship game before a broken ankle ended his season in a 33–30 overtime win over Buffalo in the divisional round. A former third-round pick by the Giants in 2017, Webb bounced between both New York teams and Buffalo during a six-year NFL career, appearing in two games before transitioning into coaching. He interviewed with the Ravens for their head coaching vacancy on Jan. 8 and has also interviewed with Las Vegas. Nathan Scheelhaase Like Brady, Webb and Kliff Kingsbury, Scheelhaase also interviewed for Baltimore’s head coaching vacancy, doing so on Jan. 17. Now in his second season with the Rams, Scheelhaase has emerged as one of the rising offensive minds in this hiring cycle. After serving as an offensive assistant and passing game specialist in 2024, he was promoted to pass game coordinator for the 2025 season. Los Angeles finished the regular season with the NFL’s top passing offense, while quarterback Matthew Stafford emerged as an MVP candidate after throwing for 4,707 yards and a league-best 46 touchdowns. A former quarterback at Illinois, Scheelhaase began his coaching career as the Illini’s assistant director of football operations before moving through a variety of offensive roles at Illinois and Iowa State. He joined the Rams in 2024, quickly earning a larger role in Sean McVay’s offensive staff. Tee Martin Martin would be a hire aimed at continuity — and potentially at appeasing Lamar Jackson — after spending the past three seasons in Baltimore as the quarterbacks coach. Before that, he served as the Ravens’ wide receivers coach from 2021 to 2022. Martin does have play-calling experience, most notably as offensive coordinator at USC from 2016 to 2018. His tenure began strongly, with 10-3 and 11-3 seasons in which the Trojans averaged more than 30 points per game. Quarterback Sam Darnold was drafted third overall following that stretch. The stint ended on a sour note, however. Martin was fired after a 5–7 season in 2018, during which the offense stagnated and his play-calling duties were removed midway through the year. Related Articles Mike Preston: Ravens get back to roots with Jesse Minter hire | COMMENTARY NFL pundits react to Ravens hiring Jesse Minter as coach: ‘Brilliant’ READER POLL: How would you grade the Ravens’ hire of coach Jesse Minter? Instant analysis: Ravens hire Jesse Minter as head coach Who is Jesse Minter? 5 things to know about new Ravens coach. Kliff Kingsbury Kingsbury most recently served as the offensive coordinator for the Commanders, who reached the NFC championship game in his first season with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels under center. Daniels flourished, finishing the regular season with the league’s fourth-best QBR (67.7), then elevated his play in the postseason. He threw for 822 yards, five touchdowns and one interception in three playoff games, completing 65.8% of his passes. Washington regressed the following season after Daniels was sidelined for 10 games, falling from the league’s fifth-highest-scoring offense to 22nd. Still, Kingsbury’s reputation as a quarterback whisperer remains strong. He guided Kyler Murray to his lone postseason appearance in 2021 during a four-year tenure as Arizona’s head coach and previously worked with Patrick Mahomes and Johnny Manziel at the college level, before overseeing Daniels’ breakout rookie season. Kingsbury and Washington agreed to part ways following his second season with the team, and reports indicated he was pursuing other opportunities. He interviewed for the Ravens’ head coaching position on Jan. 12, and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that Kingsbury is a preferred offensive coordinator option for the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player. Though according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation, Kingsbury is not expected to be high on the list of potential coordinators for Minter. Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes. View the full article

The Ravens hired Los Angles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter on Thursday to become the fourth head coach in the team’s history, and his approach to playing tough, physical football is a welcomed addition in Baltimore. The general consensus around town was that the Ravens needed to hire a coach who would accommodate star quarterback Lamar Jackson, a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Award winner. But the Ravens needed to get back to their basics of being one of the most dominant defensive teams in the league. They had lost that the past two years under the direction of previous coordinator Zach Orr, but at least now they have someone who can oversee the defensive operation here. The Ravens can’t bring back Hall of Fame players such as middle linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed and a future one in outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, but at least they have someone who truly knows about “Playing Like A Raven,” especially on the defensive side of the ball. Minter is 42, and he’ll make his share of mistakes as a young coach, but he has a history here. He was a defensive assistant in Baltimore from 2017 through 2020. He later became the defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt in 2021, and eventually served as Michigan’s defensive coordinator under Harbaugh’s younger brother, Jim, in 2022 and 2023. He moved to Los Angeles with Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers for the past two seasons. There is an obvious connection here with the Harbaugh family, but more importantly, it’s about improving a major area of weakness. I understand the rules of the game have changed to favor the offense, especially since Roger Goodell became NFL commissioner in 2006. You can’t sniff a quarterback these days without a penalty. But the Ravens already have Jackson and one of the best running backs in modern day history in Derrick Henry. Even with a suspect and questionable offensive line, scoring still won’t be a problem with this team, not with playmakers such as slot receiver Zay Flowers and tight end Mark Andrews. But the Ravens’ defense in 2025 was simply horrendous. They allowed 248 passing yards per game, which was ranked 30th in the league. Overall, they were ranked near the bottom in total defense, and they struggled with getting consistent pressure on quarterbacks. On the back end, the Ravens couldn’t make up their minds about coverages, not knowing if they were in man-to-man or playing zone. There were times when they would shrug their shoulders in embarrassment. Fans like to point fingers at former Ravens coach John Harbaugh, but Orr’s unit was also a contributing factor in why he blew 17 double-digit leads in the second half of games. Here is more damaging proof about the Ravens’ suspect defense: Outside linebacker Odafe Oweh had 23 sacks in nearly six seasons and 67 regular-season games with the Ravens, but he had 7 1/2 in 12 regular-season games with the Chargers after an October trade. He added another three in one postseason game, a 16-3 loss to the Patriots. The major difference was that Minter put him in a position to just go after quarterbacks. He was a “go fetch” guy. It’s all about scheme and game plans. Here’s the bottom line: If an opponent can’t score, they can’t win. Ask the 2000 Ravens. In two seasons with Los Angles, Minter turned around one of the league’s worst defenses into to one of the NFL’s best. The Chargers allowed only 17.7 points per game in 2024, which led the NFL. This season, Los Angeles yielded just 20 per game. In both years, Los Angeles was among the NFL’s 12 best in yards allowed per game. Meanwhile, the Ravens were inconsistent under Orr during the same stretch. The gripes about finding a head coach and offensive coordinator to favor Jackson and Henry are understandable, but not valid. I’ve said it before and will say it again, it’s all about balance in the NFL. Opposing teams exploit weaknesses in this league, and the major weakness for this team was on defense. Mike Macdonald did it in Seattle, and hopefully Minter can do it in Baltimore. Related Articles 5 potential candidates to become the Ravens’ next offensive coordinator NFL pundits react to Ravens hiring Jesse Minter as coach: ‘Brilliant’ READER POLL: How would you grade the Ravens’ hire of coach Jesse Minter? Instant analysis: Ravens hire Jesse Minter as head coach Who is Jesse Minter? 5 things to know about new Ravens coach. The idea of the Ravens being too patient in the hiring of Minter was also exaggerated. The candidates for the Ravens head coaching position provided a diverse field, but that means nothing: Just hire the best candidate for the job. If it meant waiting until the Super Bowl was played, then so be it. It will be interesting to see Minter assemble a coaching staff. John Harbaugh struggled in that area for a couple of years before Ozzie Newsome, the team’s vice president, aided him. Former Ravens assistant Greg Roman was the Chargers’ most recent offensive coordinator, but he was fired shortly after the Chargers lost to New England, 16-3, in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Would Roman be a good match for Jackson? Ahh, probably not again. But overall, the Ravens made a positive and good hire. Minter might have problems controlling some of the veterans on the team at first, but he’ll adjust. All young head coaches have a learning curve. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

The Ravens named Jesse Minter as their next head coach Thursday evening, bringing in the 42-year-old defensive mind to replace John Harbaugh. “Jesse was impressive throughout our incredibly thorough interview process,” owner Steve Bisciotti said in a statement. “He clearly understands the values, high expectations and history of the Ravens, and he has a great vision for the future.” While Baltimore’s organization obviously likes its own decision, what do national analysts have to say? Here’s a sampling of pundit reactions: Mina Kimes, ESPN “ like this,” Kimes, an NFL analyst, wrote on X. “Have said I think the Ravens should go defense; he’s been fantastic in LA. Creative and gotten the most out of both the young and veteran talent there.” Jordan Schultz “The biggest endorsement I can give #Ravens fans about Jesse Minter is this: his players LOVED playing for him … from Derwin James and Khalil Mack to Daiyan Henley, Tarheeb Still, Tony Jefferson, and so many others,” the NFL insider posted on X. “One of the best coaches they all had.” Jonathan Jones, CBS Sports “We still are waiting to see what exactly Jesse Minter’s offensive plan is going to be … but not a surprise that it’s Jesse Minter with the Baltimore Ravens,” the insider said. “Two years ago, Mike Macdonald seemed to be the next guy up with Baltimore, and the Seattle Seahawks struck, and they went and got him as their head coach. Now look at where Seattle is, just one game away from the Super Bowl with Mike Macdonald.” Tom Pelissero, NFL Network “The Ravens did their last head coaching interview today with Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who now is a potential OC candidate for Baltimore as Jesse Minter fills out his staff,” the insider posted on X. “Brady also interviewed Wednesday for Buffalo’s head coaching job.” Ian Rapoport, NFL Network “The reality is, this was the favorite all along,” the insider said. “He is a young, brilliant defensive mind, and the Ravens have known that. He was in their building, spent several years helping out with the defensive backs, working as a coach before going to flourish at Michigan and with the Chargers. General manager Eric DeCosta always kept tabs on Minter, knowing that potentially he could be someone they would bring back. As soon as they parted ways with John Harbaugh, this is a guy they set their sights on.” Ted Nguyen, The Athletic “Great hire by Baltimore,” the NFL writer posted on X. Jon Ledyard, Audibles & Analytics “Ravens hiring someone in Harbaugh circle to replace Harbaugh,” the NFL analyst posted on X. “I really like Minter as a defensive mind, schemer, teacher. He’s so good. One of the biggest questions in his interviews has been who his OC will be? How does he see offensive football? Excited to find out.” Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated’s Monday Morning Quarterback “Ravens moved fast on Jesse Minter — he interviewed in Baltimore yesterday, and the team kept him there, knowing he’d had a good interview with the Raiders Tuesday and was scheduled to go to Cleveland today,” he posted on X. “They love his IQ and EQ, creativity, and ability to build relationships.” AJ Gersh, FOX45 Baltimore sports anchor “For anything you need to know about Jesse Minter, look at how Chargers fans speak about him,” he posted on X. “Nothing but positives. And, as he was a candidate, all I saw was ‘please don’t go.'” Related Articles 5 potential candidates to become the Ravens’ next offensive coordinator Mike Preston: Ravens get back to roots with Jesse Minter hire | COMMENTARY READER POLL: How would you grade the Ravens’ hire of coach Jesse Minter? Instant analysis: Ravens hire Jesse Minter as head coach Who is Jesse Minter? 5 things to know about new Ravens coach. James Palmer, Bleacher Report “Even though Minter was on the defensive side of the ball, he and Lamar Jackson already have a very good relationship,” he posted on X. “An important part of the process.” Nate Tice, Yahoo Sports “Felt like it was -1000 that Minter would get this job,” Tice posted on X. “And deservedly so! His defenses are well-coached and he’s been putting together impressive game plans at several stops now. Now onto the offensive staff…” Have a news tip? Contact Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

The Ravens on Thursday agreed to hire Jesse Minter to be their fourth coach in franchise history. The 42-year-old spent the past two seasons as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator and has familiarity with Baltimore, having spent four seasons from 2017 to 2020 in various defensive coaching roles under John Harbaugh, whom the Ravens fired on Jan. 6 after 18 seasons. How would you grade the hire? We want to hear from you. After you vote, leave a comment and we might use your take in The Baltimore Sun. The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To read the results of previous reader polls, click here. View the full article

The Ravens named Jesse Minter their next head coach, the team announced Thursday. Minter previously spent time as a Ravens assistant, and he was most recently the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers. Here’s what The Baltimore Sun’s sports staff has to say about the new hire: Brian Wacker, reporter The Ravens interviewed more than 15 candidates to replace fired coach John Harbaugh. Right from the start, Jesse Minter’s name began to percolate in NFL circles and for obvious reasons. He’d turned around defenses wherever he went. There was organizational and familial familiarity with him, with Minter having spent the past two seasons as Chargers defensive coordinator under Harbaugh’s younger brother Jim and Minter having worked in Baltimore previously. He was also, as ESPN analyst and former NFL executive Louis Riddick told The Baltimore Sun this week, a “rock solid” individual who has head coach written all over him. Riddick beamed about Minter is sharp, organized, detail-oriented, knows the game, prioritizes relationships and communication, understands it is not a one-size-fits-all league and understands the landscape of not just dealing with players but how to connect with them. That will be his first job, starting with quarterback Lamar Jackson after Harbaugh and Jackson had plateaued together. Minter’s addition should also help immediately spark a defensive turnaround for a unit that in 2023 led the league in sacks, takeaways and points allowed. Defense has long been the identity of the organization and now the Ravens will shape things that way again with a fresh voice who will bring in an offensive coordinator to try to get the best out of Jackson and marry the two sides together in pursuit of a Super Bowl. Sam Cohn, reporter By all accounts, the Ravens went about this the right way. They went into the coaching search with a guy in mind, a familiar name who checks off their presumed boxes, while still casting a (very) wide net. Or, to borrow a phrase John Harbaugh liked to use: Turn over every stone. And by the end, they took Minter, the odds-on favorite all month. It sort of felt like the scene from “Draft Day” — Jesse Minter no matter what. Minter is a defensive-minded guy. The 42-year-old can be a new voice while still connecting to the lore of unrelenting Ravens defenses. He’s had incredible success the past four years as a defensive coordinator, first at Michigan then in Los Angeles. Minter feels like the right mix of fresh blood and proven candidate. He’s not one of the 30-year-old up-and-comers. He’s someone who the Ravens could fully invest their Super Bowl aspirations into. Remember, owner Steve Bisciotti said he’d be patient with the new guy. Just not too patient. “I’d probably give him five or six years,” he said, “as long as I like everything else I see in him.” Josh Tolentino, columnist Following an exhaustive coaching search that featured nearly two dozen candidates, the Ravens landed on Jesse Minter, a hire that reflects institutional familiarity and recent rising success. I’m a fan of both the team’s process and direction with the Ravens prioritizing a defensive coach, especially after two seasons of regression and multiple late-game collapses, all while carrying pricy defensive stars atop the roster. As owner Steve Bisciotti pointed out during his news conference last Tuesday, it became impossible to ignore the reality that the Ravens have failed to reach their lofty expectations in recent seasons. Minter, of course, has valuable history with the Ravens, previously serving as a defensive assistant, giving him first-hand knowledge of how the Ravens operate both from day-to-day and long-term developmental standpoints. Minter’s arrival represents only a portion of the equation, though. The franchise’s fourth head coach must now work hand in hand with Eric DeCosta and attempt to build a coaching staff that maximizes the talent on the roster headlined by quarterback and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson. If the Ravens are serious about maximizing the remainder of Jackson’s prime, then Minter’s most important early decisions may come in following days. The next offensive staff must be equally creative and adaptable, capable of evolving with Jackson after he endured an injury-filled season that saw him post career lows in rushing. Ultimately, Minter, 42, was hired to fix what’s been broken defensively and also to continue adding to an established culture. But like his predecessor John Harbaugh, he’ll ultimately be judged on whether he can oversee a complete operation. Bisciotti joked that his next head coach has a timeline of six years to win the team’s coveted third Lombardi Trophy. But after moving on from the most successful coach in franchise history, the pressure is on for Minter to beat that timeline with Jackson entering his age 29 season. Michael Howes, reporter After flirting with the idea of a retread coach, owner Steve Bisciotti and the Ravens ultimately turned to a first-time head coach. Minter fits much of the mold of former Baltimore defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald: young, defensive-minded and shaped by his time at Michigan under Jim Harbaugh before calling plays in the NFL. That hire worked for Seattle with a looming NFC championship game in his second year. Minter should help stabilize a defense that has regressed over the past two seasons, but his most consequential decisions are still ahead — starting with his offensive coordinator hire. Bisciotti has made it clear the organization intends to build around quarterback Lamar Jackson, and Jackson’s involvement in the interview process suggests that alignment mattered. Who calls Jackson’s plays will go a long way toward determining whether the two-time NFL MVP can return to peak form — and whether Baltimore can execute Bisciotti’s vision of keeping its franchise quarterback engaged, productive and in Baltimore long term. Related Articles Who is Jesse Minter? 5 things to know about new Ravens coach. Ravens agree to hire Chargers DC Jesse Minter as coach, replacing John Harbaugh Inside Ravens’ coach search from 2 ex-NFL execs: ‘They have the template’ READERS RESPOND: Ravens fans would be OK with hiring first-time head coach Ex-Ravens QB Joe Flacco discusses retirement timeline and Harbaugh firing Bennett Conlin, editor There are a lot of coaches who can win with Lamar Jackson, and Minter falls into that bucket. He’s widely respected by his coaching peers, and he brings a familiarity with the Ravens’ organization. Baltimore interviewed well over a dozen candidates, and Minter must have impressed ownership and Jackson. That’s a good sign. But this hire won’t be successful unless Minter wins a Super Bowl. It’s Super Bowl or bust with Jackson at quarterback. Minter can get it done. I thought Harbaugh could, too, but he didn’t. On paper, this hiring looks great. Will Minter make a seemingly obvious pairing pay off? At the very least, I’d anticipate Baltimore returning to the postseason in the very near future. Have a news tip? Contact Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

The Ravens got their guy. Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, 42, is trading coasts to succeed the 18-year tenure of coach John Harbaugh. Here are five things to know about Minter: Minter has close ties to the Harbaugh family (and Mike Tomlin) First, a bit of background: Minter got his start in coaching as a defensive intern at Notre Dame in 2006. His father, Rick Minter, was on then-head coach Charlie Weis’ staff and Weis was willing to give the younger Minter a shot. After one season, Weis fired Rick and so went his son. They went their separate coaching ways. Minter went to Cincinnati, then climbed the coaching ladder at Indiana State before going to Georgia State from 2013 to 2016. Rick had a relationship with John Harbaugh from their time coaching together at Cincinnati in the 1990s. Rick was the Bearcats’ head coach for a decade. Harbaugh was his special teams coordinator for three seasons. When Harbaugh had an opening in Baltimore two decades later, Rick made a phone call (every coaching hire starts with a phone call). Harbaugh interviewed Jesse and hired him the same day. There, Jesse worked under then defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale and current Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald. Minter’s defensive philosophies are largely believed to be a byproduct of those two. By 2020, Jim needed a defensive coordinator in Michigan. He hired Macdonald, while Minter took a promotion at Vanderbilt. Then Macdonald was hired as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator in 2023. So Minter backfilled his job in Ann Arbor. Then Minter followed Jim to be a defensive coordinator in Los Angeles. And now, for his first head coaching job, he’ll succeed the other Harbaugh. Oh, and he also used to take notes from former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. During a Steelers versus Chargers game this past fall, NBC’s Mike Tirico pointed out how Tomlin briefly coached under Rick at Cincinnati. His broadcast partner, Cris Collinsworth chimed in, “it was Jesse who would sit and just stare as a 16-year-old at what Mike Tomlin was doing coaching defensive backs and wide receivers. He just loved it, and so much of his style is modeled after Mike Tomlin.” He’s a defensive-minded coach. A successful one at that. Minter is widely regarded as one of the top defensive minds in the NFL. His past four years as a defensive coordinator at two stops are proof. In 2023, he won a national championship under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan leading the nation’s best defense by several metrics. The Wolverines went 15-0 with Minter as the defensive coordinator. Then with the Chargers in 2024, he turned a bottom-third defense into the league leader in fewest points and seventh-fewest passing yards per game. That was his first year as an NFL DC; his group became the sixth team in a half-century to give up 20 or fewer points in eight road games over one season. He followed that up with another top-five defense that forced more takeaways than 30 other teams. Credit Minter’s ability to get the most out of his roster. Minter was once described as a ‘humble warrior’ In 2024, during an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show,” Jim called his defensive coordinator a “humble warrior” and a “jackhammer.” “I’m about to go into a meeting with Jesse,” Jim said at the time, “and it’s gonna be ‘we played this’, and he’s gonna want ‘we can get better at this.’ ‘We had this many missed tackles, and we had the two defensive offsides penalties back to back.’ He’s always … more is more for Jesse. He’s just intuitive. He knows offensive football almost as well as defensive football. He knows how an offense is going to try to attack.” That came in handy the couple times Minter has plugged into the main headset. When Michigan levied a suspension against Jim in 2023, Minter handled the first of a three-man rotation of interim coaching duties. He led the Wolverines to a 30-3 win over East Carolina. A year later in Los Angeles, Jim left the sideline early for an arrythmia, briefly leaving Minter in charge for what was a smooth transition. Jim later said that he believes Minter “checks every box” to be a future head coach. Minter’s employer isn’t the only one with rave reviews. “The thing that makes him great is, just like coach [Jim] Harbaugh, he’s not OK with just doing what he did to get there,” Chargers defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale told The Athletic last year. “What are we doing to make it better? And this is not like a seasonal thing. It’s a daily thing.” One painful loss rewired his coaching philosophy Michigan started the 2022 season 13-0, earning a bid to the College Football Playoff and a semifinal matchup with TCU. The Wolverines lost 51-45 on a night Minter’s defense allowed 488 yards. Related Articles Ravens agree to hire Chargers DC Jesse Minter as coach, replacing John Harbaugh Inside Ravens’ coach search from 2 ex-NFL execs: ‘They have the template’ READERS RESPOND: Ravens fans would be OK with hiring first-time head coach Ex-Ravens QB Joe Flacco discusses retirement timeline and Harbaugh firing Watch Episode 22 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law According to reporting from The Athletic, Minter spent his entire flight home questioning where they went wrong. Minter formulated what would become the pillars – later renamed separators – of his defensive success: block destruction, shocking effort, ball disruption and obnoxious communication. Mike Elston, who coached at Michigan then the Chargers, told The Athletic that Minter’s impact was “immediate.” A year later, Michigan won a national championship and Minter earned his way into an NFL coordinator job. Minter is a fan of Lamar Jackson, of course When the Ravens and Chargers matched up in November 2024, the dominant storyline of the week was yet another “Harbowl.” The two brothers had a chance to duke it out for the first time since the Super Bowl in 2013. But in the week leading up to the rematch, Minter was asked about his first shot to game plan against Lamar Jackson, who was enjoying what would be his second season as the league’s Most Valuable Player. Minter called Jackson “the most electric quarterback in the history of the National Football League.” Now, he’ll have the chance to coach him. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article

The Ravens have their man. Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has agreed to become Baltimore’s next head coach, the team announced Thursday night. He replaces John Harbaugh, who was fired after 18 seasons on Jan. 6. Minter, 42, is just the fourth coach in the Ravens’ 30-year history. There is also lot of familiarity between the two, and his name began to percolate in recent days as he had a second interview that was in-person with Baltimore on Wednesday. Minter was a defensive assistant in Baltimore from 2017 to 2018 and the assistant defensive backs coach in 2019 before being promoted to defensive backs coach in 2020. He then left to become defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt in 2021 and was Michigan’s defensive coordinator under Harbaugh’s younger brother, Jim, in 2022 and 2023. In two seasons with the Chargers, who finished 11-6 and were eliminated from the playoffs by the New England Patriots in the wild-card round on Jan. 11, he helped turn around a defense that was one of the league’s worst before he arrived into a top-10 unit each of the past two seasons. His ascension in the coaching ranks has also been rapid. The son of longtime college and NFL coach Rick Minter, the Arkansas native and former Mount St. Joseph University wide receiver began his coaching career in 2006 as a defensive intern at Notre Dame. He then spent as a graduate assistant at Cincinnati before becoming linebackers coach at Indiana State in 2009 and in 2011 was promoted to defensive coordinator. He then took the same job at Georgia State in 2013 before landing on John Harbaugh’s staff four years later. Now, he’ll replace the man who first hired him and the winningest coach in franchise history. Harbaugh’s 180 regular-season wins rank 14th all time. But the belief is that Minter is ready to step into the role as a first-time head coach at any level. The hope is also that he can help turn around a talented defense led by All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton that sunk to one of the NFL’s worst each of the past two seasons after becoming the first to lead the league in sacks, takeaways and points allowed in the same season in 2023. He did that with less talent in Los Angeles, with the Chargers allowing the third fewest points per game (16) this season and ranking ninth and 10th in defensive efficiency, per FTN, in 2024 and 2025. Los Angeles also tied for the third-most interceptions (19), the seventh-most sacks (45) and gave up the fifth-fewest passing yards per game (235). It was of little surprise then that several teams with head coach openings made requests to interview Minter, Jim Harbaugh said earlier this month. “Just his ability to motivate. Just all aspects, [he’s a] teacher. It’s always about the team,” he told reporters in Los Angeles when when asked what would make Minter a good head coach. “There’s no ego there. No self-promoting. I think that’s really important in the team environment. But check every box. You got a box to check? Check it. Check it with Jesse.” Still to be determined is who Minter will hire for his offensive and defensive coordinator. Current Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken has interviewed for several head coach openings and it has been reported he is likely to join John Harbaugh to run the New York Giants’ offense. Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr, who has been in charge of Baltimore’s defense the past two seasons, recently interviewed with Dallas Cowboys for their defensive coordinator opening that went to and could also potentially land with the Giants. Former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman held the same role with the Chargers each of the past two seasons but was let go after this season and replaced by former Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel. The Ravens interviewed several other candidates for their head coach opening who could perhaps land a coordinator role, including Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase, Denver Broncos offensive pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb and former Ravens assistant and ex-Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. As for Minter, he becomes the Ravens’ coach after emerging from a list of more than 15 candidates interviewed by Baltimore. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens’ search for a head coach grinds on, for now at least. Owner Steve Bisciotti fired John Harbaugh on Jan. 6. More than two weeks later, general manager Eric DeCosta, executive vice president Ozzie Newsome and president Sashi Brown have interviewed more than 15 candidates. Some of them — Kevin Stefanski and Robert Saleh — have since landed elsewhere. Others – including Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver – have been to Owings Mills for a second, in-person and thus more in-depth sessions. The last time Baltimore was in this position 18 years ago, the number of men who interviewed was about one-third of this year’s total, but former longtime NFL general manager and executive Bill Polian isn’t surprised that it’s different now. “When you’re in their position, when you’re eyeing someone new after a long period of time, the wider the net you cast, the better,” he said. Rules have also changed since, from the expansion of the Rooney Rule for minority candidates to the timing of interviews. “That way, you’ll end up with a really good cross-section. “Plus, it’s a really good job, so people are going to line up for it.” The Ravens have, broadly speaking, built an organization that has long been the envy of many around the NFL for their stability and consistency of winning with only three losing seasons since 2008, the year Harbaugh was hired. Whether that endures, though, remains to be seen, though there is confidence among the league’s cognoscenti. But it will be largely dependent upon who takes over. Paramount within that is what kind of relationship the next coach has with quarterback and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson. Those elements, along with a few others, will determine whether Baltimore continues to be held in high regard, sustain on-field success and reach its goal of winning a third Super Bowl title and its first since the 2012 season. It also starts with Jackson. Former safety and ex-NFL executive Louis Riddick, whose front office stints included stops in Washington and with the Philadelphia Eagles before he became an analyst for ESPN, believes there is nothing more important than the dynamic between the next coach and the star quarterback. “I don’t really know what the magic relationship is for that coach,” Riddick said. “Relationships are a two-way street. Accountability has to be something that’s prioritized on all sides. The coach, they’re in the business of accountability or they wouldn’t be head coaches. As the franchise quarterback, you have to be accountable — to the organization, your teammates — be dependable, available, accountable, set the tone, set the standard. All those kind of things are going to have to be the basis of that relationship. It’s nonnegotiable. “Whoever it is they ultimately decide upon has to have a relationship with Lamar, that everything is on the table and everything is an open-book policy, because that’s the most important relationship in the organization.” Riddick added that there was a lot of blame to go around for the Ravens’ failings this season, which included an 8-9 record and not reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2021 after beginning the year as the betting favorite to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy. He also doesn’t necessarily buy into things running their course and said the blame went far beyond just Harbaugh, Jackson or both. Related Articles READERS RESPOND: Ravens fans would be OK with hiring first-time head coach Ex-Ravens QB Joe Flacco discusses retirement timeline and Harbaugh firing Watch Episode 22 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law NFL teams opt for change over patience in offseason with record-tying 10 coaching changes In the NFL, winning seasons and playoff appearances don’t always equate to job security “In my time in the league, I don’t remember all of a sudden sitting in a meeting room thinking because of some fire-and-brimstone-ass speech I got from Bill [Belichick] or Nick [Saban] or Jerry Glanville or Jon Gruden that all of a sudden I was going to catch the ball in the red zone or protect the ball. Simply, it’s about being a professional,” Riddick said. “There are always schemes, strategies, tactics that coaches get wrong and sometimes it costs teams. They need to be held accountable. Players need to be held accountable, too, for fumbling the football and committing turnovers. I don’t like when the discourse centers solely on what coaches are responsible for. Players are responsible, too.” That includes Jackson, Riddick said, adding that it’s also not mutually exclusive to him. “Lamar is going to have a lot of responsibility,” he continued. “If the same kind of things crop up in key moments where you’re fumbling the football — and I’m not talking about just him — and not catching the football, committing critical coverage busts, missing tackles, you don’t have the personnel to be able to rush the passer, then everybody needs to be held accountable. But it all starts with him. “That next coach will have to strike that same kind of relationship with him that John had early on and maybe wasn’t as productive as it needed to be later on.” Jackson, however, makes Baltimore’s job especially appealing. Eight seasons into his career, the 29-year-old former first-round pick who said he planned to bring a championship to Charm City the night Baltimore selected him in the draft remains one of, if not the game’s most dynamic and explosive players. He is the NFL’s all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks, breaking Michael Vick’s record in 41 fewer games. Jackson is also just a season removed from career highs in touchdown passes (41) and passing yards (4,172). Yet, Jackson is also coming off the worst year of his tenure, one that was plagued by myriad injuries that caused him to miss four games and saw significant drop-offs across most metrics. Amid the injuries, he was reluctant to have some designed quarterback runs be part of the game plan, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the situation, and for two straight months missed at least one practice a week. Still, the appeal of the job is obvious. “When you have a quarterback, you’ve solved the biggest piece of the puzzle,” Polian said. “Hopefully, he’s got at least five or six years left as a top guy. That’s enticing. “Secondly, they’ve got a core bunch of guys that are really good football players. Those two things are enticing. Third, you’re going to an organization that’s sound and solid, football-oriented. They do everything right in a great market. What’s not to like?” The belief within the organization is that the same question will be able to be applied to whoever is hired to become the fourth head coach in the franchise’s 31-year history. Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver watches training camp in 2024. Weaver is one of a few candidates to interview twice for the Ravens' head coach opening. (Lynne Sladky/AP file) Among the long list of interviewees, Minter and Weaver are two names that have percolated in recent days. That’s not surprising after second-round interviews and because of their makeup. Riddick called both “rock solid” and said that each has “head coach written all over them.” He noted that both are sharp, organized, detail-oriented, know the game, prioritize relationships and communication, understand that it is not a one-size-fits-all league, understand the landscape of dealing with players and how to connect with them, as well as put them in position to succeed. Minter also turned down a second interview with the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, so it’s possible he could be closing in on Baltimore’s or another team’s opening. “The interview process itself, it’s so important for the people doing the interviewing to know exactly what it is they’re looking for and be able to recognize it when they hear it,” Riddick said. “I’ll never doubt Steve. He’s hired some pretty damn good coaches.” Polian is equally confident. “John was the right guy in the right place,” he said. “They have to find the next right guy. He may not be the person everybody in the media or the fans think is the right guy, but they don’t have to win the press conference, they have to win on the field. They know what they’re looking for. They have the template. They’re not wandering around wondering what they should emphasize. “They’ll pick the right head coach, whether [he’s an] offensive or defensive [guy]. That’s what John was. He was on nobody’s hot list. Eighteen years later, he’s the winningest coach in franchise history.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

We asked readers if previous head coaching experience should matter in the Ravens’ search to replace John Harbaugh. Several of the team’s reported candidates have never been a head coach, including Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Other candidates, like former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, have led NFL franchises. Here are the results from our online poll: No — 57.3% (138 votes) Yes — 42.7% (103 votes) Here’s what some fans have said about Baltimore’s search for a new coach (answers have been edited for clarity and grammar): Hire Sean McDermott! — Will Shoken Head coaching experience should definitely matter when you have a team that is ready to win now! Just like Harbaugh should have never given somebody with no defensive coordinator experience the keys to this defense when Mike MacDonald left! — Kendric Armstrong Well, they better not come here either because we don’t have a quarterback. — Donny King No, because they were all terminated at some point. — Wayne Frazier Sr. Related Articles Ex-Ravens QB Joe Flacco discusses retirement timeline and Harbaugh firing Watch Episode 22 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law NFL teams opt for change over patience in offseason with record-tying 10 coaching changes In the NFL, winning seasons and playoff appearances don’t always equate to job security New job, same voice: Ex-Ravens coach John Harbaugh introduced by Giants View the full article

Former Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco joined the BMore Football Podcast on Wednesday, and the Super Bowl champion touched on a host of topics. Among the most interesting was a conversation about the 41-year-old’s future as an NFL player. Is retirement on the table? It doesn’t sound like Flacco is quite ready to hang up the cleats after 18 NFL seasons. “I’ve tried to come up with a good answer for everybody, but it’s a hard question to answer,” Flacco said. “I’ve played football most of my life. I think you think about an end. You do think about one day being done, but at the same time, year to year, you don’t really think about that. You’re just like, ‘Oh, offseason. Time to work out and get ready for the next season.’ And I think that for the most part, my head is still in that space.” He spent the 2025 campaign with both the Browns and Bengals, appearing in 13 games and throwing for 2,479 yards to move his career total to 48,176. He’s less than 2,000 passing yards away from becoming just the 13th player in league history to surpass 50,000. Flacco says he still enjoys competing at the highest level. “A lot of guys talk about falling out of love with the game or just kind of knowing,” Flacco said. “I don’t think that’s hit me yet.” As for his health, Flacco says he still feels well enough to play professionally despite being one of the league’s older players. He wasn’t the oldest quarterback in the division, however, as Aaron Rodgers led the Steelers to the postseason and turned 42 in December. “We talk about 40 being an old age, but in the grand scheme of things, I don’t really think you’re that old,” Flacco said. “I think we’ve had a couple guys in front of me that are the best to ever do it that have shown if you want to do it, you can still play at a high level.” Could Flacco play for Pittsburgh? During the podcast episode, Flacco was jokingly asked if he’d be interested in completing his journey around the AFC North. He’s played for the Ravens, Browns and Bengals. “There’s something about the Steelers that seems a little bit different because they were our rival for so many years,” Flacco said with a laugh, “but at the end of the day, I play football because I love it. It is a job of mine. If somebody is hiring me, that is a pretty big deal.” He’s a free agent this offseason and likely to sign a one-year deal. The Steelers need to decide on whether they want to re-sign Rodgers with a new coach, but Flacco wasn’t ruling out the possibility that he could take a snap for every AFC North franchise. “You can’t necessarily let your personal feelings on an organization just from an outsider get in the way of a professional decision,” Flacco said. He admitted it’d feel weird to put on a black and yellow jersey after spending over a decade in Baltimore, though. “I think it would be strange,” Flacco added. Related Articles Watch Episode 22 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law NFL teams opt for change over patience in offseason with record-tying 10 coaching changes In the NFL, winning seasons and playoff appearances don’t always equate to job security New job, same voice: Ex-Ravens coach John Harbaugh introduced by Giants READER POLL: Should previous head coaching experience matter for Ravens? Reaction to John Harbaugh’s firing Flacco played the first 11 seasons of his career under John Harbaugh. Only when the Ravens turned to Lamar Jackson late in the 2018 season did Harbaugh and Flacco part ways. Flacco shared his reaction to Harbaugh being fired by Baltimore after 18 seasons with the team. “I think when you’re around this league as long as everybody around here has been, I don’t know if you’re shocked by anything, but I was definitely surprised, especially to how it came out,” he said. Flacco added that he expects the veteran coach to find success in New York. “The Giants are getting one hell of a coach,” he said, “I think it’s a huge hire for them.” Have a news tip? Contact Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

Episode 22 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law is here. Preston and Coleman are joined by Ravens legend Joe Flacco, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback with over 48,000 career passing yards during time with six NFL teams. Flacco discusses his career and his reaction to the Ravens firing John Harbaugh. You can watch the podcast weekly, posting every Tuesday during the NFL season on YouTube and The Baltimore Sun, and listen on Spotify, Apple, Amazon and iHeart. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

By JOSH DUBOW The Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills faced similar decisions after another promising season ended short of the Super Bowl. The Packers opted to give coach Matt LaFleur a contract extension in hopes that he can still get the team over the hump, while the Bills fired coach Sean McDermott following an unprecedented sixth straight season that featured a playoff win and no Super Bowl appearance. LaFleur and McDermott were two of the four coaches in the league with at least seven seasons at their current spots and no Super Bowl titles with Kyle Shanahan having just finished his ninth season with San Francisco and Zac Taylor his seventh in Cincinnati. Andy Reid is the longest tenured coached having won three Super Bowl titles in 13 seasons in Kansas City. The four long-term coaches without a title had success, combining for 25 playoff wins and 21 postseason appearances without winning it all. Shanahan lost twice in the Super Bowl in the 2019 and ’23 seasons, while Taylor fell short in 2021 with the Bengals. Whether Shanahan, LaFleur or Taylor will break through and win it all at their current spots remains unknown, history shows that’s much less certain. Only one coach hired since the start of the Super Bowl era in 1966 won his first championship with a team later than his eighth season with Bill Cowher winning it all for Pittsburgh after the end of his 14th season in 2005. There have been 36 coaches to win a Super Bowl with Vince Lombardi, Weeb Ewbank, Hank Stram and Tom Landry all having already been on the job before the first Super Bowl was played. Of the other 32 winners, exactly half won their first title within their first three seasons with a team, while 12 others did it in the fourth or fifth season. The only ones besides to Cowher to take longer than five years were Pittsburgh’s Chuck Noll (year six), Reid (year seven) and the Raiders’ John Madden (year eight). There were more than 60 other coaches who had at least six seasons with a team who didn’t win it all. McDermott’s eight playoff wins are the most for any coach in the Super Bowl era who hasn’t made it to the title game and the Bills were the first team to win a playoff game in six straight seasons without reaching a Super Bowl. Shanahan’s nine playoff wins are the fourth most for a coach who hasn’t won it all. LaFleur has made the playoffs in six of seven seasons with Green Bay but has just playoff wins to show for it and hasn’t made it past the divisional round since losing his second straight NFC title game in the 2020 season against Tampa Bay. In all, there have been a record-tying 10 coaching changes this offseason, matching the previous high last reached in 2022. The only other seasons with 10 came in 2006, 1997 and 1978. Only two of the 10 coaches hired four years ago remain on the job with Kevin O’Connell about to enter his fifth season in Minnesota and Todd Bowles the same in Tampa. Overtime rules The change in the playoff overtime rules that went into place when Kansas City knocked out Buffalo in the 2021 divisional round with an opening drive touchdown had a big impact in this season’s divisional round. With both teams now guaranteed a chance at a possession even if the first team scores a touchdown, the choice of whether to take the ball or kick off in overtime is more complicated. Shanahan chose getting the ball in the first game under the new rules in Super Bowl 58 and the 49ers lost when they settled for a field goal on the opening drive and Kansas City drove for a game-ending TD — with help of a fourth-down conversion on the drive when the Chiefs knew they needed a score. There were two overtime games this weekend and both teams that won the toss opted to kick, choosing the advantage of knowing what the first team did on the opening possession. While that is sound strategy if overtime lasts only two possessions, it is a disadvantage if the game is tied after two possessions. That’s what happened in both games this weekend. Denver and the Rams both drove for winning field goals on the third possession of overtime when it was sudden death, taking advantage of the extra possession that the team that won the coin toss didn’t get. Quarterback shuffle The injury that knocked Denver’s Bo Nix out of the playoffs has created a most unusual situation with Jarrett Stidham set to start the AFC title game after not throwing a single pass during a game the last two seasons. When Stidham takes the field against New England on Sunday, it will be 749 days since his last pass attempt in the regular season or playoffs in Week 18 of the 2022 season against Las Vegas. According to the NFL research department, that will be more than double the previous longest stretch without a pass attempt by a playoff starter with Joe Webb having gone 370 days before his 2012 wild-card start for Minnesota against Green Bay. Stidham’s four career starts are the fewest ever for a QB starting in a conference championship game — one fewer than Jeff Hostetler had when he started the 1990 NFC title game for the Giants. Hostetler had four career regular-season starts and had won the divisional round when he started that win over San Francisco. The Broncos will be the ninth team to start multiple quarterbacks in the same postseason and will try to become the fifth to get wins from both. Buffalo was the last to do it when backup Frank Reich won two games in place of the injured Jim Kelly in the 1992 playoffs before Kelly returned and won the AFC title game. The Bills lost the Super Bowl to Dallas. The 1972 Dolphins, who finished a perfect 17-0, were the only Super Bowl champions to use two starting quarterbacks in the playoffs with Earl Morrall winning the first two rounds before Bob Griese returned from a broken leg to win the Super Bowl. ___ Inside the Numbers dives into NFL statistics, streaks and trends each week. For more Inside the Numbers, head here. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL View the full article

By ROB MAADDI Winning isn’t everything. Winning the Super Bowl matters most. Sean McDermott became the latest coach to learn that harsh reality when the Buffalo Bills fired him after falling short in the playoffs for the seventh straight season. McDermott led the Bills to the playoffs eight times in nine seasons, but they didn’t make it past the AFC championship game, losing twice to Kansas City. Now, Buffalo looks for a coach who can help the franchise capture its first Lombardi Trophy. McDermott turned the Bills into a perennial contender, but couldn’t secure that elusive Super Bowl victory so he’s out. It happened to Tony Dungy in Tampa Bay, John Fox in Denver, Andy Reid in Philadelphia, among many others. John Harbaugh was fired two weeks ago after missing the playoffs despite a successful, 18-year run in Baltimore that included winning one Lombardi. He quickly landed with the New York Giants. Doug Pederson was fired by the Eagles following one losing season that came after three straight playoff appearances, including the franchise’s first Super Bowl title. Marty Schottenheimer was fired by the Chargers after the team went a league-best 14-2 in 2006 but lost in the divisional round. Ultimately, it comes down to winning the biggest prize. There are only 32 head coaches in the NFL and not a lot of job security. McDermott’s abrupt dismissal opens an attractive vacancy in Buffalo. The next coach inherits 2024 AP NFL MVP Josh Allen, who is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Running back James Cook was the NFL’s rushing champion. The defense was No. 1 against the pass. There’s plenty of talent on the Bills. But the team needs to find the missing piece. It’s not just the head coach. General manager Brandon Beane, who was also promoted to president, needs to give Allen more playmakers. The Bills lack an elite wide receiver. It’s been their primary need since Stefon Diggs was traded to Houston after the 2023 season. Stroud’s future C.J. Stroud threw four first-half interceptions in Houston’s 28-16 loss to New England in the divisional round and the Texans failed in their seventh bid to reach the AFC championship game. After winning AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, Stroud has regressed. Still, he’s led the Texans to playoff wins in each of his first three seasons. The Texans need to give Stroud more help. The offensive line struggled and the run game was nonexistent. Stroud was also missing standout receiver Nico Collins against the Patriots and lost tight end Dalton Schultz early in the game. “The quarterback position is going to get the most eyes, most attention. We understand that,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “In this league, that’s what it is. C.J. understands that as well. Throughout the season, I thought he did a really nice job of coming in and learning a new offense, new scheme. I thought he picked it up well. We got better as the season went along and he made some plays to allow us to win a lot of football games as well. I’m not going to let the bad plays there in that game (against the Patriots) dictate to me who C.J. is. I know who C.J. is. I know what he’s capable of doing. “We just keep looking to get better. No one feels worse about the situation than C.J. He feels bad for the team. He feels like he let the team down, and I just told him, ‘Keep your head up and you keep moving forward.’ We all want it better. We can’t go back in that game right now and run it back and play it again. We just learn from it. What do you learn from it? That’s my main message to him is, what do you learn from that and how do you make that a priority and getting it fixed and improving and getting better?” ___ On Football analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL from week to week. For more On Football analysis, head here. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl View the full article

John Harbaugh stood before the podium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, wearing a navy blue suit and accented burgundy tie, introducing Giants fans to the personality and Harbaugh-isms that Ravens fans know well. He played all the hits. Harbaugh promised to attack his new job with “an enthusiasm unknown to mankind” — a long-standing catchphrase in the Harbaugh family. In his opening remarks, delivering something of a mission statement, he assured everything will be about “the team, the team, the team.” That’s another classic Harbaugh line. He thanked his dad, Jack, for instilling that one. The 63-year-old coach who spent 18 years in Baltimore, going 193-124 and winning a Super Bowl before he was fired earlier this month, sounded ready to embrace the opportunity in New York. Very little of the roughly 20-minute news conference was spent rehashing his time with the Ravens. Harbaugh extended a “profoouunnd” thank you to Ravens leadership, specifically owner Steve Bisciotti and executive vice president Ozzie Newsome as well as coaches and players. He did not mention general manager Eric DeCosta by name. Then Harbaugh turned the page to the Giants. In the wee hours of Jan. 14, shortly before midnight, news broke that the two parties were closing in on a deal to make Harbaugh the next head coach of, as he lovingly calls them, the “New York Football Giants.” It took three more days — which included a fancy dinner and all-day meetings to iron out chain of command restructuring — to get that five-year deal across the finish line. Harbaugh said there was never a question about taking a new job versus a year off. He wanted to get back in the ring with a team he saw genuine potential in. “I wanted this job,” Harbaugh said. “To be on the biggest stage in the biggest sport. I know the challenges. I know the expectations. I know the fans are hungry for a winner. We’re here with one mission: to earn the right to be called the world champions in New York.” The road diverged in front of him includes two paths. Each has already been laid, and one sounds much better than the other. Like Harbaugh, former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll enjoyed great success in Seattle, where he won a Super Bowl. This time last year, the Raiders hired him to bring a mark of stability to a listless organization. The 74-year-old Carroll won three games and was promptly fired after one season. Harbaugh would much prefer the other road, the won blazed by his mentor, Andy Reid. Harbaugh spent a decade as Reid’s special teams coordinator in Philadelphia before the Ravens hired him as a first-time head coach. Five years later, Reid was fired by the Eagles and quickly hired by the Kansas City Chiefs. Since then, he’s won three Super Bowls and appeared in two more. “We’ll sign up for that deal right now,” Harbaugh laughed, met with some applause. Those two have been in some level of communication during the less than two weeks Harbaugh was unemployed. Reid is a man of few words, his mentee said Tuesday. “His four words to me,” Harbaugh said, “were ‘change can be good.’” For Baltimore, the feeling was mutual. “We love John like a brother, and it was really the most difficult decision that we made, but we made it,” Bisciotti said last week, “We want the Ravens to succeed. I felt it was the right time to make the change. … I think we had run our course.” Bisciotti knew Harbaugh would be the “the most sought-after coach in years.” That fact, affirmed when Harbaugh became the first head coach off the board this cycle, alleviated Bisciotti’s worries about letting go of his longtime friend. On Tuesday, there were plenty of questions about the roster he’s inheriting, to which Harbaugh assured his confidence in their ability to be a playoff team by next year led by rising sophomore quarterback Jaxson Dart. Harbaugh told his brother and Los Angeles Chargers coach, Jim, to “breathe easy” now that they’re in different conferences. Backup quarterback Jameis Winston got a shoutout for his 2024 upset win over the Ravens. “It was a great game — for you,” Harbaugh said, pointing to the back of the room. He also indicated the interview process for hiring coordinators will begin as soon as Wednesday. The Giants will scour the league for candidates. That includes “people in Baltimore,” Harbaugh said, alluding to his former offensive coordinator Todd Monken and defensive coordinator Zach Orr. Both have reportedly been in talks with the Giants. Related Articles READER POLL: Should previous head coaching experience matter for Ravens? 2026 NFL mock draft: Early predictions for all 32 first-round picks Ravens head coach search: Where things stand, and what’s next Josh Tolentino: Dear Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti … | COMMENTARY Mike Preston: Ravens’ next coach needs to be a CEO, not a phony | COMMENTARY If the YouTube chat section on the live stream of Harbaugh’s introductory news conference is any indication, the excitement in East Rutherford, New Jersey is palpable. Giants fans see a bright light at the end of this decade-plus-long tunnel, having won a single playoff game in 14 years. Harbaugh didn’t nail down one secret ingredient to his success in Baltimore or how that might translate up Interstate-95. “No two places are the same,” he said. But his relationships in New York and what he saw on tape and the conversations he had quickly convinced him the Giants, the “most iconic franchise in the biggest sport,” as he called them, were the right move for his next chapter. For Ravens fans eager to meet their new coach, seeing Harbaugh trade in purple and black for blue and red will take some getting used to. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. New York Giants coach John Harbaugh poses for a photo after being introduced during a news conference at the team's training facility on Tuesday. (Adam Hunger/AP) View the full article