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Eric DeCosta didn’t do it alone. The Ravens’ general manager said Thursday that a “small group” of both offensive and defensive players, many of whom are veterans, helped Baltimore choose Jesse Minter to be its next coach. “Their opinion was valuable and very helpful,” DeCosta said at Minter’s introductory news conference in Owings Mills. “They came at it from a different perspective as players. The feedback that we got from the candidates was fantastic.” The players’ roles are not finished. DeCosta said that the group is also helping evaluate candidates for the team’s offensive and defensive coordinator positions and other roles on the coaching staff. Minter’s hiring, announced last Thursday, marked DeCosta’s first head-coaching search since becoming general manager in 2019. While DeCosta was involved in the hiring of John Harbaugh in 2008 as director of college scouting, this process was different. He was leading this. Zoom interviews played a major role, allowing the Ravens to gather information quickly while expanding the scope of voices involved. “The integration of technology allows us to talk to a lot more people in a very short amount of time, which is an opportunity and a challenge,” Ravens president Sashi Brown said. Players participated in interviews in-person or remotely. DeCosta declined to identify those involved, saying only that they were “veteran players that had inquired about being a part of the process.” Owner Steve Bisciotti previously encouraged quarterback Lamar Jackson to take part, though it was not disclosed whether the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player participated in interviews. Jackson was not among the nine current players present Thursday. “I think relationships take time, and so you don’t become the head coach of the Ravens and expect to have a deep relationship with anybody,” Minter said of the star quarterback. “I just look forward to connecting with him, helping him become the best version of himself.” DeCosta acknowledged that it initially took some time for him to envision Minter, who worked in Baltimore from 2017 to 2020 as a defensive assistant and defensive backs coach, as a head coach. . That perception shifted as DeCosta gathered feedback from those who had worked closely with Minter, including Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz, who worked closely with DeCosta as Baltimore’s director of player personnel before landing in Los Angeles, and former Ravens safeties Tony Jefferson and Eric Weddle. “Watching him last year … and watching that defense, I’m like, ‘Damn, this is a good team. This is a really good defense. Jesse’s doing a hell of a job,’ ” DeCosta said. “I think it takes a whole process of accumulating information and really removing all the biases that you have in your head.” Minter wouldn’t confirm any hires or timelines for when positions will be filled. He did say that the offensive and defensive coordinator searches are “very far along,” adding that announcements would come “in the near future.” Amid their search for a head coach, the Ravens interviewed several candidates who could fit as offensive coordinator, including former Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase and Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb. Related Articles Mike Preston: Ravens’ defense needs fixing. Here comes Jesse Minter. | COMMENTARY Ravens GM Eric DeCosta needed to reimagine Jesse Minter. Then he hired him. Ravens coach Jesse Minter explains vision: Being at best ‘late in the season’ READERS RESPOND: Ravens fans grade team’s hire of head coach Jesse Minter New Ravens coach Jesse Minter not trying to copy John Harbaugh: ‘Own spin’ Whoever is chosen will play a critical role in the Ravens’ future, particularly in shaping the working relationship with Jackson. That hire carries far more weight than the defensive coordinator decision after Minter said that he will call the defensive plays. With the hires to shape his staff, Minter isn’t just looking for schematic expertise. He explicitly says player buy-in is required. “I’m looking for leaders and connectors and relationship builders and schematic expertise, but most importantly, guys that the players believe in,” Minter said. “I think [we will excel] when they feel that it’s collaborative, and they feel that it’s ours and not just the coaches.” Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes. View the full article

Jesse Minter is on a learning curve, but the Ravens’ first-year head coach said what he needed to Thursday at his introductory news conference. Minter, 42, said that he will run the defense. That might end up being a mistake as 2026 rolls along, but it’s a necessary risk at this point. The Ravens were ranked 24th in total yards, allowing an average 354.5 yards per game and were ranked No. 31 in pass defense. So, Minter, who has a strong defensive background, will call the plays for the Ravens next season. That might sound a little strange for a coach who was hired as a CEO of one of the NFL’s top franchises, but it makes perfect sense. The Ravens need to get back to their roots of being a blue-collar team built on defense. That’s a great thing with such an unpredictable offense. “I do plan on calling the defense,” Minter said. “I think that’s a strength of mine. I think that’s one of the reasons I’m sitting here, but I also think it’s my leadership qualities. I have a really good process, I feel, to do what I need to to do to be ready to call the game, but I also have the ability to be the head coach and to impact the entire roster, the entire team, and make sure that’s its our offense, defense, our special teams, and that’s no divide there. “I know that I’m in charge of all that, but it really starts with the relationships with the people in the building, particularly the players. I think they feel my competitiveness, they’ll feel my mentality every day, and I think we’ll work hand in hand to build a great team.” Translation: It’s unlikely the Ravens will be able to hire a defensive coordinator with as strong a pedigree as Cleveland’s Jim Schwartz or even Denver’s Jim Leonhard, who is the Broncos’ defensive pass game coordinator. Both will probably want the freedom to make an impact and put their signatures on games. Minter might end up hiring a coordinator such as Kansas City Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen or maybe former Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. They might provide input on game plans, but the final decisions belong to Minter. One thing is certain: It’s a great increase in pay. “I won’t confirm any hires at this point,” Minter said. “Both of those searches are going really well. They’re very far along, I would say. We’re finalizing a few of those pieces. I’m looking for leaders and connectors and relationship builders and schematic expertise, but most importantly, guys that the players believe in.” Eventually, Minter could turn over the defense to a coordinator, but not now. This team has way too many problems. The Ravens allowed 45 sacks but only generated 30, and they were lost on the back end of the defense. Teams took advantage of beating cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins on the outside, and safety Malaki Starks, the team’s first-round draft pick last April, started the season well but struggled near the end. With the neck injury to defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike casting doubts over his availability in 2026 and beyond, this defense might be in a rebuild mode. The Ravens spent a lot of time talking to former players who spent time with Minter such as safeties Eric Weddle and Tony Jefferson. That meant a lot to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, who also spoke with team executives and assistant coaches. Minter has also worked with his share of “head cases” in Baltimore such as Humphrey, cornerback Marcus Peters and safety Earl Thomas. The conclusion reached by general manager Eric DeCosta, president Sashi Brown and executive vice president of player personnel Ozzie Newsome was that Minter had a strong relationship with his players, including the alpha males. Remember, former coach John Harbaugh got rid of most of those guys, such as middle linebacker Ray Lewis, receiver Anquan Boldin and safeties Ed Reed and Bernard Pollard soon after the Ravens won the Super Bowl in the 2012 season. Related Articles Some Ravens players were ‘very helpful’ in choosing Jesse Minter as coach Ravens GM Eric DeCosta needed to reimagine Jesse Minter. Then he hired him. Ravens coach Jesse Minter explains vision: Being at best ‘late in the season’ READERS RESPOND: Ravens fans grade team’s hire of head coach Jesse Minter New Ravens coach Jesse Minter not trying to copy John Harbaugh: ‘Own spin’ Harbaugh later realized that he couldn’t win without them, which was part of his evolution as a coach. Minter might be going through a similar stage, even though young head coaches such as the Los Angeles Rams’ Sean McVay (40) and the Seattle Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald (38) are successfully leaning on their backgrounds. Minter was a Ravens defensive assistant backs coach in 2019 and became the coach at that position in 2020. At Michigan, he coordinated the Wolverines’ 2023 unit that led the country in total defense and scoring defense. In 2024, the Chargers improved dramatically and last season Los Angeles was seventh in the NFL with 45 sacks and third in interceptions with 19. Minter is very familiar with the “Ravens Way,” but he declined to get into the problems associated with last year’s Ravens defense. Smart move. Everything has to stay internal, even criticism of former defensive coordinators and assistant coaches. “I’ll dive deep into that over the next month or so,” Minter said. “I have a ton of respect for the coaches that have been here [and] the players. I think about defense a certain way. They’ll learn how I think about it and how I feel about it. I think there’s a fundamental level needed [that’s] required to play great defense that we will harp on tremendously, and so I look forward to getting with the guys [and for] them to kind of learn my thoughts on how you play great defense. I look forward to going to work on that.” Minter, though, agreed that safety Kyle Hamilton’s value is obvious from film study. Hamilton was second on the team with 105 tackles, 25 behind leading tackler and middle linebacker Roquan Smith. “Kyle [Hamilton] is a weapon,” he said. “He is a position-less defensive player that I would classify as a weapon on defense. As much as you can do to get a guy like Kyle near the point of attack, I think, is what you try to do as a designer [or] play-caller. I could not be more thrilled to be able to work with Kyle. I’ve had a couple of really good conversations with him already. I know he’s excited, and I’m excited to work with him alongside all the really great players that we have in this organization.” It’s an exciting time for Ravens football. It’s about going back to their true nature. It’s about going back to their roots. Minter, for at least a day, had all the right answers. “Our football identity — I would say — is physical, tough, relentless and [playing] together,” he said. “I think when people turn on our film, I want them to see a team that’s really well connected [and] that plays for each other. And I think when you do that – when you play like a Raven – you play together. It’s more about everybody that’s out there with you. You’re not just playing for yourself; you’re playing for everybody.” “There’s a physicality that comes along with that. There’s a mental and physical toughness that comes along with that. There are schematic things that come along with that. All the great coaches over time that have been here and that have led historical outputs on both sides of the ball. I think that all encompasses what it means to play like a Raven. And I’m really look forward to building that with our team, creating our own identity in that regard and building on what’s been done here in the past.” Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

Jesse Minter used to be the guy down the hall sharing a small office with three other staffers. Remembering his first Ravens stint from 2017 through 2020, organizational higher-ups still viewed Minter merely as someone who handled draft materials for players near the bottom of their board. “It was hard for me to envision Jesse like he is,” general manager Eric DeCosta acknowledged. Who he is, now, is the fourth head coach in Ravens history. Minter was first hired by the Ravens nine years ago to be a defensive assistant. He left four years later as defensive backs coach, taking the defensive coordinator job at Vanderbilt. Then Minter won a national championship at Michigan and followed Jim Harbaugh to Los Angeles, where he revamped the Chargers’ defense. This time around, the more he reconnected with the now 42-year-old Minter, the quicker DeCosta changed his tune. “He just blew us away in person,” DeCosta said. Minter flew to Baltimore last week for his in-person, second-round interview. DeCosta liked what he heard, at least enough to fly him across the country, but in a way, still had trouble imagining him in the big chair. For most of their previous interactions, the two were at opposite ends of the football decision-making spectrum. Then they sat together in DeCosta’s office. Minter explained how his confidence bloomed with the Chargers, being in an NFL leadership role, and how that readied him to manage both sides of the ball. “Your own style sort of begins to come out,” he said. Minter spelled out his vision for the future of the Ravens. He answered questions about how his success at three stops since he was last in Baltimore could translate to leading a team right in the middle of a championship window. DeCosta’s mind wandered a bit, visualizing Minter in a “crisis situation” or how he’d act in the halftime locker room. “I started to imagine Jesse as our head coach,” DeCosta said, “and what that might look like.” DeCosta did his due diligence. He called Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz, the Ravens’ former director of player personnel. Then he got on the phone with Los Angeles safety Tony Jefferson and retired safety Eric Weddle — both of whom overlapped with Minter in Baltimore. They vouched for him hard. Jefferson worked closely with Minter in Baltimore. He saw first-hand Minter inherit a Chargers defense that ranked 30th in pass defense, 24th in points allowed and 27th in yards per play, flipping to top-seven in all three categories. The Chargers owned the league’s top scoring defense in 2024 — that helped remind DeCosta, too, that Minter had matured into a prominent NFL leader. A small contingent of current Ravens players on both sides of the ball were involved in the process too, according to DeCosta. Some were in Owings Mills and a few called in over Zoom. Finding John Harbaugh’s replacement presented a tall task. He won a Super Bowl in Baltimore. He exemplified stability and owned what it meant within the building to be a Raven. He embodied the characteristics of a culture he inherited then made his own, before the Ravens fired him Jan. 6. Related Articles Some Ravens players were ‘very helpful’ in choosing Jesse Minter as coach Mike Preston: Ravens’ defense needs fixing. Here comes Jesse Minter. | COMMENTARY Ravens coach Jesse Minter explains vision: Being at best ‘late in the season’ READERS RESPOND: Ravens fans grade team’s hire of head coach Jesse Minter New Ravens coach Jesse Minter not trying to copy John Harbaugh: ‘Own spin’ Owner Steve Bisciotti challenged the search committee of DeCosta, team president Sashi Brown and executive vice president Ozzie Newsome, to find the next coach who could pilot the Ravens for the next two decades. DeCosta called the process a two-week sprint. They spoke with at least 20 candidates in various formats. Some connected on a preliminary basis over the phone, others were grilled on Zoom interviews. A select few flew to Baltimore for in-person meetings. “It became apparent quickly that Jesse Minter was the right guy to be our next head football coach,” DeCosta said. “Jesse’s smart, he’s a leader, he’s got great humility, he’s a problem solver, a great tactician and he started at the bottom.” At one point, Harbaugh texted Minter to pledge his support. “They should hire you,” he wrote. Minter wanted the job from the get-go too. He had been eyeing this coaching cycle since last summer as a potential opportunity. In his interview, he made it clear to DeCosta that his familiarity with folks in the building wasn’t the reason he wanted to coach the Ravens. It was “because of my time here that I was able to see how this place operates and knowing that everything is in place to be a championship organization.” Eight teams interviewed the former Chargers defensive coordinator: Browns, Cardinals, Dolphins, Falcons, Giants, Raiders, Ravens and Titans. He completed a few in-person visits as well. At the last minute, the Raiders were reportedly making a heavy push. Baltimore didn’t want to waste any more time. “It was clear to us,” Bisciotti said, “that Jesse is a special talent who has what it takes to lead us as head coach of the Ravens.” Minter just had to remind them he’s not the same man he was a decade ago. 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 rolled out the purple carpet for Jesse Minter. About two dozen players present and past — Travis Jones and Justice Hill and Ray Rice and Jamie Sharper among them — filled most of the first three rows in the team’s auditorium in Owings Mills on Thursday. They were there to see the former assistant who’d coached Baltimore’s defensive backs in 2020 before turning defenses around as a coordinator for Vanderbilt, Michigan and the Los Angeles Chargers. Minter, 42, was formally introduced as the fourth head coach in the Ravens’ 31-year history. He was joined on stage by general manager Eric DeCosta and team president Sashi Brown, with owner Steve Bisciotti among the audience. Minter’s words spoke to the culture of the organization without being overly revelatory, though he did provide some insight on his vision and play calling and more. “The we is important,” Minter said in his opening remarks, his wife Rachelle, their three young children and his father, Rick, among the family members in the crowd. “It takes everybody to be successful.” Quarterback Lamar Jackson was not one of the players in attendance — only two starters were — but Minter said that he has had multiple conversations with the 29-year-old two-time NFL Most Valuable Player. “Relationships take time,” Minter said. “You don’t become the head coach of the Ravens and expect to have a deep relationship with anybody. We’ve been working toward that already. “With Lamar, I just look forward to connecting with him, helping him become the best version of himself, creating a team identity that allows him to thrive, which he’s already proven to be the best player in the National Football League and put a team around him that allows him to reach that ultimate goal of bringing a Super Bowl back to Baltimore.” Minter’s work is cut out after the Ravens, Super Bowl favorites at the start of the season, finished 8-9 and short of the playoffs for the first time since 2021, leading to the firing of Minter’s predecessor, John Harbaugh, who had coached Baltimore the past 18 seasons, won a Super Bowl after the 2012 season and became the franchise’s winningest coach and the 14th-winningest coach of all-time. Harbaugh has known Minter since he was about 12 years old, when Minter’s father, Rick, was long ago the coach at the University of Cincinnati and Harbaugh’s boss there. So, it was hardly a surprise that the two had a few conversations before Baltimore hired Minter, with Harbaugh texting, “I think they should hire you.” “I love John,” Minter said. “[It’s] really just like, take the foundation in place and build on it, make it better, put my own spin on it and not try to be John Harbaugh, not try to be Jim Harbaugh, be myself, connect with everybody, make it about all of us, and I really look forward to doing that.” It didn’t take long for Bisciotti, DeCosta, executive vice president Ozzie Newsome and Brown to come to the same conclusion about hiring him, either. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta, right, said that a group of select players were part of the process in the search for a new coach that led to Jesse Minter, left. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) After Harbaugh was fired Jan. 6, a search for his replacement began almost immediately. More than 20 candidates were interviewed with the list quickly whittled to a handful of finalists for second interviews in Owings Mills. “He just blew us away in person,” DeCosta said of Minter. “As good as his Zoom interview was, spending time with him in Baltimore was even more than I hoped. While he was with me in my office I started to imagine Jesse as our head coach.” That decision was further cemented by feedback Ravens brass got from others in the organization about Minter. That included a small group of players on offense and defense. Though DeCosta did not say which players, he said that they met with all the finalists, either in person or via Zoom. He also said that some are still involved in the process for hiring coordinators and other positions. “Their opinions are valuable, very helpful,” DeCosta said. “They came at it from a different perspective as players.” Bisciotti, who crashed an ESPN interview later in the day, also said that the decision to hire Minter was DeCosta’s and that he simply approved the move, adding that Minter and DeCosta will work well together. “He stood out,” Bisciotti said of Minter. “We got some good candidates but he stood out, so we’re really happy with him.” Related Articles Some Ravens players were ‘very helpful’ in choosing Jesse Minter as coach Mike Preston: Ravens’ defense needs fixing. Here comes Jesse Minter. | COMMENTARY Ravens GM Eric DeCosta needed to reimagine Jesse Minter. Then he hired him. READERS RESPOND: Ravens fans grade team’s hire of head coach Jesse Minter New Ravens coach Jesse Minter not trying to copy John Harbaugh: ‘Own spin’ Minter was a popular candidate in the coaching cycle. He had job interviews with eight teams, including the Las Vegas Raiders, who made a strong push to make him their next coach after parting ways with Pete Carroll. Once the Ravens’ job opened, however, there was little doubt in Minter’s mind. “You really have no idea what jobs are going to be open as you get towards the middle and end of the season,” he said, adding that his feelings for Baltimore strengthened after reconnecting with people in the building. “You feel like you might be a candidate, but when this job opened this became the one for me. This is the one that I wanted.” Now, Minter’s vision for what the Ravens can be will begin to take shape. Already, he has begun to fill out at least some of his staff, though he declined to officially announce any hirings. He did, however, say that the process is “very far along” in some cases and he is close to finalizing some of his assistants, including offensive and defensive coordinator. In terms of what he’s looking for from all of his assistants, he wants “leaders and connectors and relationship builders and schematic expertise.” Most importantly, he added that he wants coaches who players believe in and ones who are willing to “dive deep” and “build really strong relationships.” “I think when they feel it, it’s collaborative,” he said. “They feel it’s ours and not just the coaches and this is what the players do, this is what the coaches do. It’s all of us.” There was a lot of “we” and “us” throughout. That pertains to the chain of command, too. During Harbaugh’s tenure, DeCosta, who has been the general manager since 2019, made personnel decisions with the coach having plenty of sway. Both reported to the owner. The structure will remain the same under Minter, though it’s not totally clear to the exact extent. “I think it’s a partnership with Eric and I,” he said. “That’s really what I was looking for in this whole process. I know we see football the same. We see what building a team looks like the same.” One thing that will remain the same for Minter from his old job is that he will continue to call plays on defense, which could impact who ends up being his defensive coordinator among a pool of candidates that includes former Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator and ex-Raven Anthony Weaver, Kansas City Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen and Denver Broncos defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard. “I think that’s a strength of mine,” Minter said of calling defenses. “I think that’s one of the reasons I’m sitting here.” It certainly played a factor. After being one of the best defenses in the league in 2023 under then-defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Baltimore took a big step back each of the past two seasons under first-year coordinator Zach Orr. In particular, the pass defense was leaky and the pass rush ineffective. Other problems persisted, too, from communication to more fundamental skills such as blocking and tackling. Nothing has stood out more, though, than the Ravens’ regression in the postseason, which was the biggest reason Harbaugh was fired. After reaching the AFC championship game after the 2023 season, Baltimore lost in the divisional round of the playoffs the next year and didn’t make the postseason this past season. The Ravens have won just two playoff games over the past five years and worse yet have often not been at their best when the stakes have been at their highest, but the belief is that Minter can help turn that around. It was only a handful of years ago, of course, that he was first on the Ravens’ radar as an assistant in an office that he shared with three other coaches about 30 steps down the hall from the much bigger one he occupies now. When he arrived in Baltimore this time, much of the team’s staff lined the grand foyer and large staircase to welcome him earlier this week. He thanked them, said he was excited about the opportunity but that he’s most looking forward to making it “we” and about “all of us.” He also said that he has a vision of what it will take for the Ravens to get to that next level of winning the franchise’s third Super Bowl title. “I really think building a really cohesive team that all the work that you do leads to being successful in those opportunities, so I think we will create standards that match the goals we want to achieve,” he said. “Our plan will be built on being at our best late in the season, into the playoffs, and I look forward to that challenge.” 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 how they would grade the Ravens’ hire of Jesse Minter. The longtime defensive assistant will be Baltimore’s head coach beginning in the 2026 season. He was most recently the Chargers’ defensive coordinator, spending two seasons in Los Angeles under Jim Harbaugh. Minter also previously worked as an assistant for the Ravens under John Harbaugh, who he now replaces in Baltimore. Here are the results from our online poll: A — 58% (524 votes) B — 26.4% (239 votes) C — 10% (90 votes) F — 3.4% (31 votes) D — 2.2% (20 votes) Here’s what some fans have said about Baltimore’s new head coach (answers have been edited for clarity and grammar): Minter checks all the boxes: Fills a major need (defensive competency), familiarity with the organization, detailed oriented and a leader of men. However, his selection of an offensive coordinator will be critical. — Fran V. Just a terrific hire for the Ravens. A fresh new voice that will demand excellence on both sides of the ball. He is a tireless worker who will improve the defense immediately. He has something to prove and I believe he will make this team better. — Dan Let’s talk about this in two years. Then we should know if this was a good hire. — Robert We need this guy! Ravens have always been built around our defense. — Frank Lowrey Better be good because he will be judged harshly. — Mark McDermott I guess he really likes Harbaugh. Worked with/for one and replaced the other. — Tina Lancaster Good hire. — Christopher Anderson The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To see results from previous sports polls, go to baltimoresun.com/sportspoll Related Articles Some Ravens players were ‘very helpful’ in choosing Jesse Minter as coach Mike Preston: Ravens’ defense needs fixing. Here comes Jesse Minter. | COMMENTARY Ravens GM Eric DeCosta needed to reimagine Jesse Minter. Then he hired him. Ravens coach Jesse Minter explains vision: Being at best ‘late in the season’ New Ravens coach Jesse Minter not trying to copy John Harbaugh: ‘Own spin’ View the full article

New Ravens coach Jesse Minter faces a challenging task. He is filling the shoes of a man who led a franchise for 18 years, won a Super Bowl and coached the only Ravens era many young Baltimore fans have known. Then again, Minter isn’t trying to be former coach John Harbaugh. “[I want] to take the foundation in place and build on it and make it better and put my own spin on it,” Minter said at Thursday’s introductory news conference. “Not trying to be John Harbaugh, or Jim Harbaugh — being myself.” Minter, 42, became the fourth head coach in Baltimore franchise history after Harbaugh was fired on Jan. 6. He has already seen what Ravens culture looks like from the inside, spending four years in the organization from 2017 to 2020. He worked his way up as a defensive assistant before becoming a defensive backs coach in 2020. General manager Eric DeCosta even joked about the idea of Minter as a head coach now. “I didn’t really ever think of him like that,” DeCosta said, remembering Minter as the assistant who chopped tape on late-round defensive back prospects. But Minter understands what the organization is supposed to look like, and what it has long been built upon. “Physical, tough, relentless, together,” Minter described what his teams will look like. “When people turn on a film, I want them to see a team that’s really well connected, a place for each other. And I think when you do that, when you play like a Raven, you play together. It’s more about everybody that’s out there with you.” Harbaugh, who has since taken a job with the Giants, was among the mentors Minter credited Thursday. First came his father, Rick Minter, who has coached football for over 45 years. Then came the two Harbaugh brothers, shaped by his four years in Baltimore and later working with Jim Harbaugh in both Michigan and Los Angeles. Harbaugh even texted Minter, “I think they should hire you” after being fired himself. “Those three have been very influential on me — all different styles,” Minter said. “I try to take things from all of them that help prepare me to be myself, and I’ll be the best head coach I can be.” Minter also confirmed he plans to call the defense this upcoming season. Harbaugh, who acted as a “CEO” coach, never acted as the team’s primary offensive or defensive play-caller. “I think that’s a strength of mine. I think that’s one of the reasons I’m sitting here,” Minter said. The recent results from his teams give reason for optimism in that approach. The Chargers have held a top 10 scoring defense the past two seasons with him as the play-caller. That followed two years at Michigan conceding 16.1 and 10.4 points per game, the seventh-least and nation’s least, respectively. Baltimore, meanwhile, dropped from the league’s top scoring defense to 18th since the 2023 campaign. The group still contains talent for Minter to work with, even after regression in the past two years. He believes he can get it back to its reputation. “There’s a fundamental level needed required to play great defense,” Minter said. “We will harp on [it] tremendously.” Minter said he still keeps the rejection letters from early in his career, but he’s no longer motivated by proving people wrong. He’s motivated by proving people right. Baltimore is now the biggest test of that shift. Related Articles Some Ravens players were ‘very helpful’ in choosing Jesse Minter as coach Mike Preston: Ravens’ defense needs fixing. Here comes Jesse Minter. | COMMENTARY Ravens GM Eric DeCosta needed to reimagine Jesse Minter. Then he hired him. Ravens coach Jesse Minter explains vision: Being at best ‘late in the season’ READERS RESPOND: Ravens fans grade team’s hire of head coach Jesse Minter He’s inheriting a team with championship expectations, a quarterback he called “elite,” and a defense with pieces like Kyle Hamilton, a “weapon” he wants near the point of attack. He also inherits the weight of continuity, a franchise that has had only four head coaches in its history. If Minter can blend the Ravens’ familiar edge with his own voice and demands, the transition won’t be measured by how different he is from Harbaugh. It’ll be measured by whether the Ravens look “physical, tough, relentless, together.” That’s what has defined the franchise, and what Minter wants to bring back. Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes. View the full article

By JOSH DUBOW Bill Belichick’s reported snub from the Pro Football Hall of Fame after winning a record six Super Bowl titles as a head coach has placed new scrutiny on the process of picking pro football Hall of Famers. While the specific reasons that Belichick didn’t get into the Hall in his first year of eligibility are unknown, there are some possible explanations why at least 11 of the 50 voters didn’t vote for one of the sport’s most accomplished coaches. Belichick’s role in the “Spygate” scandal in 2007 could have had a similar impact on his candidacy that steroids have had in the baseball Hall of Fame at keeping stars such as Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens out of Cooperstown. The rule changes put in place last year by the Hall also could have played a part, including possible frustration from some voters about the decision to eliminate the five-year waiting period for coaches that made Belichick eligible for the ballot after sitting out only one season as an NFL coach. The changes also made it more difficult for anyone — Belichick included — to get into the Hall as evidenced by only four people getting voted in last year for the smallest class in 20 years. Coaches are now competing directly with players in the seniors category instead of being judged on their own. Here’s a look at how the new rules have impacted the voting: How do coaches become finalists? Along with eliminating the five-year waiting period, coaches also were separated from contributors in terms of becoming finalists. A blue-ribbon committee whittles the coaches down to one finalist, with Belichick getting the nod this year. The one coach was grouped with one contributor, which was Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and three seniors players who haven’t played in the past 25 seasons. Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood are the finalists this year. What about the modern era players? The biggest group of finalists comes from the modern era category, with 15 players picked after a process of cutting down nominees started with a screening committee that picks 50 nominees. The full 50-person selection committee cuts that down to 25 semifinalists and then 15 finalists, with any player who made it to the final seven and didn’t get in last year guaranteed a spot in the final 15. Who are the voters? The selection committee consists of 50 voters, with 32 picked as media representatives of each team and the rest consisting of at-large voters, including some Hall of Famers such as Bill Polian, Tony Dungy, Dan Fouts and James Lofton. All the voters got on a video conference earlier this month, with one voter making a presentation and others then allowed to offer their opinions in a debate. The vote is conducted by secret ballot, with the results announced Feb. 5 at “NFL Honors” in San Francisco. How does someone get in? The threshold to get into the Hall is 80% — 40 of the 50 voters — but it’s not as simple as an up-or-down vote. Before the rule changes last year, five modern era finalists were picked to have an up-or-down vote, as well as the senior finalists and any coach or contributor who made it to the final stage. That typically led to five modern era players getting in with most — but not all — of the seniors, coaches and contributors also getting in. Now, it’s much more difficult. The voters will cut down the list of modern era candidates from 15 to 10 and then seven. A final vote will be held for those seven, with each voter allowed to vote for only five players. If some candidates such as Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald get wide support, that would leave fewer available votes for any other potential candidates in the final seven to get to 80%. That led to only three modern era players — Eric Allen, Jared Allen and Antonio Gates — getting in last year. It’s a similar process for the seniors, coaches and contributors. Voters can vote for only three of the final finalists, with the top vote-getter and anyone else who gets 80% support getting into the Hall. Sterling Sharpe was the only person to reach that threshold last year from the group of finalists, while players Maxie Baughan and Jim Tyrer, coach Mike Holmgren and contributor Ralph Hay fell short. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL View the full article

The Browns have their next coach, and he comes from AFC North rival Baltimore. Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken has agreed to become Cleveland’s next head coach, a source with direct knowledge confirmed to The Baltimore Sun. He replaces Kevin Stefanski, who was fired earlier this month. At age 59, it is his first NFL head coaching job. The hire also bucks the trend of NFL coaches skewing younger in recent years, but Monken brings plenty of experience and a track record of fielding elite offenses. Baltimore’s offensive coordinator since 2023, he was the architect of what proved to be an explosive and dynamic unit in his first two seasons. Under Monken, quarterback Lamar Jackson posted career highs in passing yards and passing touchdowns in 2024. The year before, in Monken’s first season, Jackson won his second NFL Most Valuable Player Award. Baltimore also in 2024 became the first team in NFL history to top 4,000 yards passing and 3,000 rushing in the same season. That led to Monken getting multiple head coaching interviews. On Wednesday, he finally landed his first job as a head coach. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Related Articles New Ravens Boys and Girls Club looks to inspire West Baltimore: ‘Home base’ The making of Jesse Minter: New Ravens coach ‘learned from some of the best’ 5 biggest questions facing new Ravens coach Jesse Minter Who’s left among potential Ravens offensive coordinator candidates? Biff Poggi on working with new Ravens coach Jesse Minter: ‘Full package’ View the full article

Ravens defensive tackle John Jenkins is both indebted and an exemplar of the promise of youth. Raised in Meriden, Connecticut, a rough-around-the-edges working-class city of 60,000 about 20 miles south of Hartford, his mother, Mary Ann Baker, gave birth to him when she was a young teen. “It was tough,” Jenkins said. “Growing up with that, already the odds are against me in a lot of sense. It was extremely tough.” What made childhood easier, though, was the Meriden Boys & Girls Club where he spent the majority of his formative days. It gave him a sense of purpose, Jenkins said. “A lot of kids who grow up in that type of environment, they always try to find a purpose, try to belong somewhere, whether it’s positive or negative,” he said. “The Boys & Girls Club was that for me in a positive way.” When Jenkins wasn’t starring on the football field for Maloney High School, he was at the Boys & Girls Club, where in addition to playing sports and hanging out with friends, a nascent college predatory program helped set him on his path. He spent two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College before transferring to Georgia, where he earned second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors before being selected by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 2013 draft. “That was a big thing, because nobody really knew college where I was from,” he said of the program. “Everybody got through high school through sports, then went to a community college, failed that and ended up working a 9-5.” Thirteen years and seven NFL teams later, Jenkins still relishes being able to play a game even if he doesn’t know how much longer his career will last. What he is certain about, is the role the new Ravens Boys & Girls Club that opened this past October can play for children and teens in West Baltimore and beyond. The project began in earnest when former Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith, his wife Chanel and their nonprofit, LEVEL82, along with former NFL linebacker and Baltimore native Aaron Maybin, breathed life into the old Hilton Recreation Center in 2020. Vacant for more than a decade, they brought mental health and academic services and other activities to the facility. Around the same time and coincidentally, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti reached out to former team president Dick Cass and Ravens vice president of community relations Heather Darney and charged them with finding an after-school space. “He felt like that was just a really important thing,” Darney said. “If we could create a space that kids were excited to come to after school and have their focus be there instead of lots of options they have after school, how cool would it be if we started looking into that.” That’s when the proverbial light bulb went off. With the Ravens already assisting Smith and his efforts, the answer was right in front of them. A $20 million infusion from Biscotti’s foundation, followed by another $16 million raised by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore, along with a 30-year lease from the city, and, voila. Construction began in June 2024 and 18 months later it is already the largest of the 10 Boys & Girls Clubs in metropolitan Baltimore and one of only a few tied to an NFL team, with the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams being the others with their own clubs. It has already had an immediate impact, too. Neighboring Green Street Academy, founded in 2010, previously had to travel to other areas in the city for its middle and high school games. Now, it uses the Ravens Boys & Girls Club, which has a lighted multipurpose turf field for the charter school and others, a gym designed and funded by Under Armour and christened by NBA star Steph Curry, along with lounges and tutoring spaces, podcasting and dance studios and a game room. “I’ve been in this business 25 years, and I have heard 100 times about the effect that a place like this had on my players — over and over and over again,” Bisciotti said at the facility’s official opening in October. “This type of investment is different,” added team president Sashi Brown. “It’s longitudinal. It’s a deep investment in the community and a commitment from the team.” Related Articles The making of Jesse Minter: New Ravens coach ‘learned from some of the best’ 5 biggest questions facing new Ravens coach Jesse Minter Who’s left among potential Ravens offensive coordinator candidates? Biff Poggi on working with new Ravens coach Jesse Minter: ‘Full package’ Watch Episode 23 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law Jenkins is only one example of its power. Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton spent a chunk of his youth at the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley went to the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada. The list goes on across the NFL and beyond. “It’s another home base for us to feel connected to and we want the community to be connected to,” Darney said. “Now, we’re gonna show up, we’re gonna come back. It makes it easy for players to say ‘Hey, I have a Monday afternoon free, let’s see what’s going on at the club.’” Though the initial conversations around the design of the gleaming complex were to downplay the connection to the Ravens and feature little branding, Boys & Girls Club president and chief executive Jeff Breslin wanted to “flip that on its head” and lean into the natural connection. “The whole goal is when they walk in they feel like they’re part of the flock, part of the team,” he said. “They see themselves in both the players and the general culture that is the Ravens. It’s hard to put that on paper and measure and say, ‘OK it means this for this kid,’ but pride in yourself, pride in your community and feeling like you’re part of something bigger benefits everybody.” So does the airy, light-filled space itself. The design was deliberately different than many of the brick buildings with small windows of the 1960s the Boys & Girls Clubs had previously renovated. “We could have spent less money and done good enough, but that is not the way the Bisciotti’s operate,” Breslin said. “It sends a message to kids that when you walk in here not only are you surrounded by people that care about you but the building and how you feel in that building means a lot, so you deserve natural light, you deserve high-class furniture, you deserve the best technology. The wonder and the spark of what [the kids] can be benefits all of us.” The hope is the region will benefit, too. With more than 800 students just 100 yards away at Green Street Academy and another 2,000 within a one-mile radius, the high density provides for rich opportunities. The surrounding community was also passionate about the project, said Breslin, whose past work includes helping oversee the Under Armour House at Fayette and time at the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, among more than 20 years of youth development and philanthropy. “We see this as a disruptor in a good way, a chance to pilot new programs to bring new partners to the table,” Breslin said. “Certainly sports will be a huge piece of it, but then from there our hope is we can demonstrate the power of when groups of people come together. “You never know what can happen.” Just ask Jenkins as well as those he hopes to help inspire. “You deserve this,” Bisciotti said in October as dozens of kids looked on. “And we’re not going to stop here. We’re taking applications for the next one and the next one and the next one.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Ravens' owner Steve Bisciotti, left, and former Raven Torrey Smith, take a look at the basketball court at the new Ravens Boys & Girls Club in October. The facility carries special meaning for several Ravens. (Lloyd Fox/Staff) View the full article

A 33-year-old, unemployed Jesse Minter sat across from John Harbaugh. It was 2017. Minter was interviewing for a coaching assistant job in Baltimore. His resume showed six years of defensive coordinator experience piloting turnarounds at Indiana State, then Georgia State. Harbaugh heard all about it from Minter’s father, Rick, who hired the former Ravens coach at University of Cincinnati 20 years earlier. “I know you know how to break down and attack an offense,” Harbaugh told Minter. But he needed to see it for himself. So, he handed Minter a catalog of one NFL team’s offensive film. The assignment: draw up a report on everything he learned, then present to Harbaugh and his staff how he might scheme against it. Be back in three hours. He aced it. The Ravens hired Minter that same day. Nine years and three coaching stops later, Minter returned to Owings Mills, this time in mid-January for a second-round interview to take Harbaugh’s old job after 18 seasons. Owner Steve Bisciotti left the team facility impressed by Minter’s vision while general manager Eric DeCosta lauded his “brilliant football mind and spirit” in a joint statement. The Ravens hired Minter last week to be the fourth coach in franchise history. He’ll be formally introduced Thursday morning. The Baltimore Sun spoke with a dozen people close to Minter, a group of interviewees that includes fellow coaches and current and former players, to understand why Baltimore believes the defensive-minded, first-time head coach is the right person to get the Ravens over the playoff hump. “There’s no doubt in my mind he was destined to be a head coach in the NFL,” said PJ Volker, Navy’s defensive coordinator who rose through the ranks alongside Minter and was a groomsman at his wedding. “He’s ready for this opportunity. I think everybody that’s been around him knew this was gonna happen, it was just a matter of when.” ‘Jesse busted his [butt]’ Minter, 42, was born into football. By his second birthday, Rick had coached at five programs. Jesse was in middle school when Cincinnati hired Rick to be the Bearcats’ head coach. There was a wealth of knowledge at his disposal. The list of assistant coaches who passed through during his tenure is impressive: Harbaugh, Mike Tomlin, Rex Ryan and Jimbo Fisher, to name a few. It’s no surprise that Minter, as a wide receiver at Division III Mount St. Joseph University, approached his craft like a stereotypical coach’s son. He studied the game in ways his teammates wouldn’t. Minter knew his role, but he also took it upon himself to understand assignments for every teammate on both sides of the ball. “They were worried about what they did,” former Mount St. Joseph defensive coordinator Jim Hilvert said, “he wanted to know the whole picture.” So, when he graduated in 2005, he was ready to jump right into coaching, first as a Notre Dame defensive intern, then two seasons as a graduate assistant at Cincinnati. Both roles were a byproduct of Rick’s connections. Dad helped get his foot in the door, but Minter has earned his keep at every step. “He didn’t come up with a silver spoon thinking he knew everything,” said Notre Dame senior analyst Trent Miles, who hired Minter at Indiana State and then brought him to Georgia State. “Jesse busted his [butt] and learned and studied. He learned from some of the best. I think it shows.” When Minter joined Miles’ staff, arriving in Terre Haute in 2009, the Sycamores were buried beneath the nation’s longest losing streak. They hadn’t won a game in three years. If Minter wanted to establish credibility, he would have to build it one install at a time, developing key relationships along the way. “It was arguably the worst program in college football at the time,” Miles said. “We didn’t have it easy. He had to bust his tail in recruiting. He has great relationships with players.” Minter’s mentees still recall a young coach learning how to command a room, still shaping the language and structure of his defense. Ahead of Minter’s second season, his father, Rick, joined the staff, accelerating his son’s growth and sharpening his confidence. Former Indiana State linebacker Dillon Painter still has the playbook from those years, a large binder that he and his teammates jokingly label, “Minter’s original bible.” “It was like this big puzzle,” Painter said. “Every single person, if they did what they were coached to do based on what they were seeing, it ended up being an extremely successful play. Coach Minter has this ability to put people in positions to be successful and he utilizes, obviously there’s 11 guys on the field, but with him, it’s about depth. “We were almost like chess pieces, and he was constantly able to put us in the right positions to be successful.” By Minter’s third and fourth seasons, Indiana State evolved into one of the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s top defenses, punctuated by a stunning October 2012 road win over North Dakota State, an FCS powerhouse that hadn’t lost at home in three years. Minter’s defense recorded three takeaways, including two interceptions returned for touchdowns. “To be quite honest, on our flight home, we all knew, there’s no way this staff is staying,” Painter said. “That was the pinnacle for that staff … No one said it out loud, but we all knew Coach Minter was destined for much greater heights.” As they expected, Miles was hired from Indiana State to Georgia State. He brought most of his staff with him. Minter didn’t copy-paste what worked at Indiana State and implement it at Georgia State. Minter “started from ground zero and built a defense that could stifle opponents in the Sun Belt [Conference].” Volker said. By 2015, he was responsible for the most improved defense in the Football Bowl Subdivision. He was nominated for the Broyles Award, which recognizes the nation’s top assistant coach. The following year, though, Georgia State won two games and Miles was fired. So went Minter. He later called it “one of the best things that ever happened” in his career. Minter landed in Baltimore the ensuing season, working under defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale and linebackers coach Mike Macdonald. Together, they rewrote Baltimore’s defense by diagramming unique pass rush plans and non-traditional zone coverages. It produced back-to-back AFC North titles (2018 and 2019). Jesse Minter helped lead Michigan to a national championship as the Wolverines' defensive coordinator. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Jim Harbaugh came calling in 2022. He hired Minter to be Michigan’s DC, inheriting a foundation from his predecessor Macdonald and attempting to evolve it into something even more minacious. Ravens wide receiver Cornelius Johnson, who played at Michigan from 2019 to 2023, felt the Minter experience every day in practice. “He would switch a lot, experiment and counter in real time,” Johnson said. “If something was working earlier, he’d flip it. Different disguises, different blitzes. It was always competitive.” Michigan’s defense under Minter leaned heavily into nickel and dime personnel, often flooding the field with physical defensive backs or forcing offenses to process information and puzzling personnel presnap. Similar to Indiana State’s upset victory over North Dakota State, Minter’s Wolverines defense again recorded a signature win: a 26-0 shutout of Iowa in the 2023 Big Ten championship game. Michigan’s statement victory, which secured them a coveted spot in the then-four team College Football Playoff, featured three takeaways and four sacks from Minter’s unit. “We shut them down completely, Iowa had absolutely nothing going,” Johnson said. “That’s one of his staple games. We don’t win those championships without Coach Minter.” Amid the celebratory locker room scene, Harbaugh awarded a game ball to Minter. Michigan would go on to complete their perfect season with a win over Washington and star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the national championship game, but this moment marked something deeper than a schematic triumph. For Minter, it was the culmination of years spent refining ideas, absorbing failure, and learning how to teach with purpose. A great teacher and motivator Minter once described his first stint in Baltimore like “four years of going to master’s level classes.” After the 2020 season, Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea invited Minter to Nashville, essentially to pitch his thesis. Lea was curious how Minter helped revamp the Ravens’ defense. Interviewing Minter to be Vanderbilt’s defensive coordinator, Lea pressed the rising star on his coaching philosophies. How might that translate to a collaborative environment back at the college level? Did Minter have an ego needing to be coat-checked? Lea left thinking, “He’s the kind of guy the coaching profession needs right now.” Related Articles New Ravens Boys and Girls Club looks to inspire West Baltimore: ‘Home base’ 5 biggest questions facing new Ravens coach Jesse Minter Who’s left among potential Ravens offensive coordinator candidates? Biff Poggi on working with new Ravens coach Jesse Minter: ‘Full package’ Watch Episode 23 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law Lea saw what many of Minter’s former players and fellow coaches did: an inexorable passion for football problem solving mixed with emotional intelligence to articulate his plans in a way players gravitate toward. That manifests in meeting rooms and in the way Minter delegates work to his staff and the collaborative nature of his defense. Volker called his friend a “great listener.” Miles said he’s “like a bright light walking into the room.” Harold Etheridge witnessed that up close across nearly a decade, working alongside Minter as opposing coordinators at Indiana State and Georgia State. “Jesse’s a players-type coach,” said Etheridge, now an offensive line coach at Illinois State. “He’s energetic. He’s detailed. Guys love playing for him because he’s going to get the best out of you. He’s not an arrogant guy. Coaching is all about trust, they’ve got to trust you, you’ve got to trust them. Jesse’s a great teacher and motivator.” Similar to his study habits as a player, Minter encourages his players to understand the entire system, not just their particular assignment. He’s built a reputation of dissecting defense through the lens of an offense. “He made us all more cerebral,” Painter said. “It wasn’t just, ‘do your job.’ It was understanding why? Understanding the whole picture. “He made intentional efforts developing relationships with everyone in the building,” Johnson said. “Not just defense.” ‘It doesn’t surprise anyone’ In 2017, John Harbaugh handed Minter a stack of offensive film with three hours to prove himself. Nearly a decade later, the assignment is far larger. Minter is tasked with leading a locker room that features a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player in Lamar Jackson and a defensive unit that’s strayed from its longtime franchise identity. Before Minter was named Baltimore’s fourth head coach, a successor to his former boss and the franchise’s winningest coach, people who’ve shared meeting rooms and practice fields with him say he prepared his whole life for this new title. “To remember all of this that vividly years later, clearly Coach Minter had an impact on me as a defensive football player,” Painter said. “No one that you’ll talk to who’s ever been around him is surprised by him now being the head football coach of an NFL franchise.” Starting Thursday morning, back in Owings Mills, that sterling reputation meets immediate championship expectations. Can he deliver? Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article

Following a long-tenured, mostly successful coach in the NFL — even ones whose tenures had perhaps become stale — can be daunting if not perilous. Ask Jerod Mayo, Chip Kelly and Wade Phillips. They succeeded Bill Belichick (Patriots), Andy Reid (Eagles) and Dan Reeves (Broncos) and ranged from solid (Phillips) to hot candidates (Mayo and Kelly). Mayo lasted a season, Phillips two and Kelly was fired before the end of his third. There is, of course, a flip side. Jimmy Johnson led the Cowboys to back-to-back Super Bowl titles in his fourth and fifth years after replacing legend Tom Landry. Bill Cowher immediately got the Steelers to the divisional round of the playoffs in his first year, the AFC title game in his third and a Super Bowl in his fourth before eventually winning it all in 2006 after replacing Chuck Noll. Enter Jesse Minter, who was named Ravens coach last week, replacing the fired John Harbaugh. In 18 seasons, Harbaugh won a Super Bowl, steered Baltimore to four AFC championship games and became the 14th winningest coach of all time. Will Minter be more Mike Macdonald, who coached the Seahawks to the Super Bowl in his second season after replacing Pete Carroll, or will his tenure more closely resemble someone like Phillips, who was likewise a defensive coordinator? The answer will play out in the months and years ahead, but as a first-time head coach the 42-year-old one-time defensive assistant in Baltimore and son of longtime NFL and college coach Rick Minter will face plenty of questions when he steps to the podium Thursday for his introductory news conference. Here are the five most pressing questions Minter is facing. Can he get through to and get the most out of quarterback Lamar Jackson? While owner Steve Bisciotti made it clear that Jackson did not have an “outsized” role in Harbaugh’s dismissal and ultimately did not have any “power” when it came to Minter’s selection, general manager Eric DeCosta also made it clear that communication is paramount. That most importantly extends to the the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and the head coach, both of whom are the two most important figures in the operation. Though Bisciotti said Jackson told him that he had no problem with Harbaugh or offensive coordinator Todd Monken, and Harbaugh said the same, something was clearly amiss this past season. Whether it was Jackson’s spate of injuries and perhaps frustration over his missing a practice a week for two straight months, or things simply having plateaued for myriad reasons, some inside the building — including the guy who pays the bills — felt it was time for change. Among Minter’s traits, those who have worked with him have lauded his ability to see the game in a unique way and meaningfully connect with players. Both of those attributes will be important when it comes to Jackson, 29, as he enters his ninth season and with Bisciotti saying they’re in it for the long haul with the quarterback. How will he turn around a defense that went backward the past two years? There is Pro Bowl and All-Pro talent at nearly every level of the Ravens’ defense, from safety Kyle Hamilton to linebacker Roquan Smith to rising defensive tackle Travis Jones, with a handful of solid contributors sprinkled throughout. Yet, the Ravens had one of the worst defenses in the NFL in 2024 and 2025. It was hardly all coaching, but Minter should immediately raise the floor and the ceiling, at least based on his track record of doing so elsewhere. Georgia State, Vanderbilt and the Los Angeles Chargers all improved notably under his direction, so why would Baltimore be any different? While it’s still unclear if Minter will be the one calling the plays or if he will leave that to whomever he names as defensive coordinator, he will no doubt be heavily involved. He has also already started to surround himself with coaches who have drawn high praise, including defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Mike Mickens. The former Notre Dame assistant helped develop a handful of top cornerbacks and safeties in college — including Hamilton — and was a significant presence in identifying and cultivating talent. Related Articles Who’s left among potential Ravens offensive coordinator candidates? Biff Poggi on working with new Ravens coach Jesse Minter: ‘Full package’ Watch Episode 23 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law 6 Chargers free agents Jesse Minter could target for the Ravens New Ravens coach Jesse Minter’s staff begins to take shape How much say will he have in roster decisions, and is that important to him? One of the more compelling aspects of the coaching change is how much sway Minter will have over personnel, be it during free agency, the draft or other needs. Harbaugh certainly had plenty during his time. But it remains to be seen if that will be the case for Minter, or if it will be solely DeCosta, vice president of football administration Nick Matteo and executive vice president Ozzie Newsome making those decisions. The Ravens will no doubt say it will be a collaborative effort between all of them, but to what extent? With Minter being a first-time coach, though, it’s reasonable to expect him to lean on DeCosta and company. What will be his approach in assembling a staff? Some of Minter’s assistants have already been revealed, and he has received acclaim on Mickens as well as run game coordinator/offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford. Of course, who he names as his offensive and defensive coordinators will rightfully get the most scrutiny. Some candidates are also off the board, most notably Joe Brady, whom the Bills promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach to replace the fired Sean McDermott. Kliff Kingsbury, shown in 2025, has yet to land an offensive coordinator job this offseason after spending the past two years with the Commanders. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) Meanwhile, Broncos offensive pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb is a candidate for the Raiders’ head coach job and could be elevated to offensive coordinator in Denver after coach Sean Payton fired Joe Lombardi. And if Rams offense coordinator Mike LaFleur gets the head gig for the Cardinals, that could lead to Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase being promoted to their offensive coordinator, taking him off the market. That could lead to Baltimore going with Kliff Kingsbury, whose name has remained in the mix, even though he was initially not high on Minter’s list of potential candidates. Or perhaps Minter brings Chargers pass game coordinator Marcus Brady to Baltimore. On defense, things are probably less complicated. Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen checks a lot of boxes. He’s experienced, a coach from one of the Ravens’ biggest nemeses and, like Minter, was previously a respected Ravens assistant. Or perhaps Minter will turn to longtime assistant and current Chargers defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale. Whatever happens, it’s likely he will have a mix of veteran coaches and up-and-comers. The offensive and defensive coordinators will be Minter’s most important hires. It’s also possible he won’t get his first choice, much the way Macdonald didn’t his first year in Seattle with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb before moving on to Klint Kubiak. How will he get Baltimore over the postseason hump? Baltimore enjoyed plenty of regular-season success during Harbaugh’s tenure, only missing the playoffs four times. The biggest reason Harbaugh was fired was for a recent lack of success — including a regression — in the postseason. So, how exactly will Minter, who came from the Harbaugh coaching tree, be any different? That’s of course the most pertinent question. There is reason to believe, though. First, there is a trust from within that he will help restore the Ravens’ identity as a defensive powerhouse, something they were in 2023 under Macdonald as well as in their championship years. Second, he has drawn comparisons to Macdonald in the way he sees the game and with his ability to get through to players. Third, the Ravens have one of the best players in the sport in Jackson at the most important position in the game, along with a number of talented players. All that’s left is to see how it unfolds. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson fumbles against the Bills in a 2025 postseason defeat. Despite all of Jackson's accomplishments in Baltimore, he's yet to play for a Super Bowl. (Gene J. Puskar/AP) View the full article

The Ravens have their head coach in Jesse Minter. Still to be determined is one of the most important roles under him, the offensive coordinator. Todd Monken has been Baltimore’s offensive coordinator since 2023 and was the architect of what proved to be an explosive and dynamic unit his first two seasons. But things took a big step backward in 2025, questions arose about the dynamic between quarterback Lamar Jackson and Monken, coach John Harbaugh was eventually fired and Monken is now a possibility to follow Harbaugh to the New York Giants. Who will Minter, the 42-year-old former defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Chargers, tap to run his offense to get the most out of Jackson, running back Derrick Henry, receiver Zay Flowers and others? There is perhaps no more significant role next to Minter’s. He also might be running out of options. Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady had interviewed for the Ravens’ head coach opening and was a potential candidate for the offensive coordinator role under Minter. But then Buffalo promoted him to head coach after firing Sean McDermott. All around the league, similar moves have occurred or are potentially in process, limiting who Minter might be able to hire. It’s a situation not all that different from Mike Macdonald’s when he became the Seattle Seahawks coach in 2024. Not officially hired until the end of January after the Ravens reached the AFC championship game, he opted for University of Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb from the limited pool of candidates. Grubb lasted just one season before being fired and replaced by Klint Kubiak, who helped guide Seattle to the NFC’s best regular season and the Super Bowl with a balanced attack that produced one of quarterback Sam Darnold’s best years. So, who’s left? Here’s a look at potential candidates. Kliff Kingsbury The former Commanders offensive coordinator is reportedly the coach Jackson would like to see hired, per The Athletic. A source with direct knowledge of the situation also told The Baltimore Sun that Kingsbury was not high on Minter’s initial list of candidates. But with the ever-shifting landscape of a cycle that included 10 head coach openings, that perhaps has elevated the former Arizona Cardinals coach near or to the top of the list. Kingsbury has worked with several high-profile quarterbacks during his career, including Jayden Daniels and Patrick Mahomes, though his offenses also have a history of flaming out. Still, it’s possible that he could be viewed as the best man for the job of the available options. Tee Martin The Ravens’ current quarterbacks coach, Martin would provide continuity and is a known commodity when it comes to Jackson. He’s also smart and respected. Things also did not turn out well in his one brief stint as offensive coordinator for USC, where then-Trojans coach Clay Helton stripped Martin of play-calling duties during the 2018 season and then fired him at the end of the year. Of course, Helton also lasted only a few more seasons. Martin has come a long way since his USC days, but he still lacks experience as a play-caller, particularly for a first-year, defensive-oriented coach. Related Articles Biff Poggi on working with new Ravens coach Jesse Minter: ‘Full package’ Watch Episode 23 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law 6 Chargers free agents Jesse Minter could target for the Ravens New Ravens coach Jesse Minter’s staff begins to take shape Josh Tolentino: New Ravens, Orioles leaders put Baltimore in unfamiliar territory | COMMENTARY Nathan Scheelhaase Scheelhaase, 35, is young and inexperienced, but he has received a lot of kudos around the NFL for his behind-the-scenes role as the Los Angeles Rams’ pass game coordinator. So much so that he drew head coaching interest from several teams, including the Ravens. He has also been coach Sean McVay’s latest “play-drawer” in a long line of assistants who have gone on to become successful coaches and coordinators. The downside for Baltimore, though, is that current Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur could become the Cardinals’ head coach. If that happens, it seems likely that Scheelhaase would be promoted to L.A.’s offensive coordinator. Davis Webb See above. Webb, 31, is another young coach who people around the NFL have raved about. He, too, interviewed with the Ravens for their head coach opening. Currently the Denver Broncos’ offensive pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, he is viewed as highly intelligent, detailed and an excellent communicator who played a significant role in second-year quarterback Bo Nix’s development. The Broncos also just fired their offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, clearing the way for Webb, who is also in the running for the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach opening. Lions assistant coach Scottie Montgomery, right, interviewed for the Ravens' open offensive coordinator role. He hasn't been a coordinator since 2020, when he was fired by Maryland. (Abbie Parr/AP) Scottie Montgomery Montgomery, 47, is a familiar name in Ravens country. He was Maryland’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2019 and 2020. He was also fired from said role, which would make for quite the career arc. Since then, he has been a running backs coach for the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions. This past season, he was moved to wide receivers coach in Detroit. Still, he interviewed with Minter for the offensive coordinator job, so he was or is at least a possibility. Marcus Brady Brady, 46, would at least provide continuity for Minter as the current pass game coordinator for the Chargers. He was also passed over for the offensive coordinator role there in favor of Mike McDaniel. Still, he has some experience, having served as the Indianapolis Colts’ offensive coordinator in 2021 and 2022. Brady, like Kingsbury has worked with some talented quarterbacks, including Andrew Luck, Jalen Hurts and most recently Justin Herbert. Declan Doyle Doyle, 29, is another rising young assistant. He’s also already the Bears’ offensive coordinator, though he doesn’t call the plays under first-year coach Ben Johnson. Baltimore has requested permission to interview Doyle, who before helping transform quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears into a potent offense spent two years as the Broncos’ tight end coach. Before that, he spent four years as an offensive assistant for the New Orleans Saints under Sean Payton. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Biff Poggi, a longtime coach at Gilman and St. Frances in Baltimore, knows new Ravens coach Jesse Minter well. Poggi and Minter both worked on Michigan’s staff in 2022, with Minter the defensive coordinator and Poggi the associate head coach. Poggi left to become Charlotte’s head coach in 2023, while Minter helped lead the Wolverines to a national title that year. After a stint with the Chargers as their defensive coordinator, Minter will get his first crack at a head coaching job with Baltimore. Poggi joined the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and radio personality Jerry Coleman to discuss his time with Minter and what the new coach brings to the Ravens. Here’s a brief overview of his discussion on the podcast. A good first impression Minter interviewed for Michigan’s open defensive coordinator job after a season under Clark Lea at Vanderbilt in 2021. Poggi remembers the interview well. “It was a very competitive field that we were interviewing, and Jesse did an unbelievable job,” Poggi said. “So well that I called him back right after the interview and said, ‘That was tremendous.’ ” Minter got the job, and Jim Harbaugh seemingly made the right hire. Michigan ranked fifth in total defense in 2022 and first in 2023, when the Wolverines won the national title. Michigan allowed fewer than 300 yards per game in both seasons. After Harbaugh left Michigan to join the Chargers, he brought Minter with him. Los Angeles’ defense played well in his two seasons overseeing the unit. “This guy is the full package,” Poggi said. He maximizes player ability Poggi says perhaps Minter’s greatest strength in the modern era of football is his ability to maximize his players’ talents. Former players rave about Minter, who tries to tailor his scheme and style to those on his roster. He helped the Wolverines produce 13 NFL draft picks in 2024, including five on the defensive side of the ball and two defenders within the top 50 selections. In Los Angeles, he helped former Ravens edge rusher Odafe Oweh develop into a reliable sack artist over the second half of the 2025 season. Oweh had no sacks in five games with Baltimore, but finished the regular season with 7 1/2. “He has the skill set to drive your career forward,” Poggi said. “Players want to play for him.” Now a free agent, Oweh will command a significant investment from his next team after previously looking like an underachiever. “Jesse will make them money,” Minter said. “He’s going to make them better players. The statistics are going to go up. Guys get paid on that stuff. The wins are going to go up. Guys get paid on that stuff. They’re going to really love him.” Related Articles Watch Episode 23 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law 6 Chargers free agents Jesse Minter could target for the Ravens New Ravens coach Jesse Minter’s staff begins to take shape Josh Tolentino: New Ravens, Orioles leaders put Baltimore in unfamiliar territory | COMMENTARY 2 former Ravens assistants joining Giants coach John Harbaugh’s staff Similarities to John Harbaugh and Mike Macdonald Former Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who is now with the Giants, came to Baltimore with a special teams background. Minter is viewed as a defensive genius. Both, however, are considered culture-building coaches who can engage well with assistant coaches and players. “Jesse’s a younger version of John in my view,” Poggi said. “He’s the kind of guy, who could be very much like John and be the coach for a couple of decades.” Poggi calls Minter a “sponge” and says that his adaptability as a coach makes it hard to say he’s a “disciple” of any one coach. Minter’s time under both Harbaugh brothers has shaped his philosophies, but he’s also learned from other coaches, including his dad. Rick Minter is a veteran coach with notable stops during his career as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator and Cincinnati’s head coach. Jesse Minter is just 42 years old, and Poggi thinks the young coach could find success immediately as an NFL head coach. Poggi thinks a comparison with Seattle’s Mike Macdonald is apt. The 38-year-old Seahawks coach has his team in the Super Bowl just two seasons after working as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator. Macdonald and Minter overlapped in Baltimore as defensive assistants. “I think Jesse and Mike are very, very, very similar,” Poggi said. “I think Ravens fans can very much look forward to — and Jesse forgive me for this, don’t want to put the pressure on you — but the same kind of timeline that Mike has used.” Have a news tip? Contact Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

Episode 23 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 Biff Poggi, who has experience coaching alongside new Ravens head coach Jesse Minter at Michigan. Poggi, who has strong connections to Baltimore from his time as the football coach at both Gilman and St. Frances, discusses Minter’s coaching style and schematic preferences. 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

Now that Jesse Minter has been hired as the fourth head coach in Baltimore Ravens history, attention shifts to his next moves. First comes the coaching staff. Then the roster. How next season’s group takes shape will offer an early look at the working relationship between Minter and general manager Eric DeCosta — and the vision the two share for the franchise moving forward. That process could include familiar faces. Minter spent the past two seasons with the Chargers, and it wouldn’t be surprising if some players he worked with there emerge as targets in Baltimore. Here are six Los Angeles free agents Minter could potentially bring with him. Khalil Mack, edge rusher A pressing need for the Ravens is acquiring a premier edge rusher. Mack would address that quickly — he has been one of the league’s best at his position over the past decade. Mack recorded 11 1/2 sacks over the past two seasons with Minter calling defensive plays, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2024 while adding 12 tackles for loss. His sack totals aren’t what they once were — his last double-digit sack season came in 2023, and before that in 2018 — but he would still provide a consistent pass-rush presence for a Ravens defense that finished tied for the third-fewest sacks in the league. The 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and three-time All-Pro would presumably command a sizable contract after coming off a one-year, $18 million deal. The Ravens, meanwhile, have just $5.4 million in effective cap space, according to Over the Cap. Odafe Oweh, edge rusher The Ravens selected Oweh with a first-round pick in 2021 before trading him to the Chargers in October. Under Minter — and playing alongside Khalil Mack — the edge rusher recorded 7 1/2 sacks in 12 regular-season games, along with 13 quarterback hits. He did not record a sack in five games with Baltimore prior to the trade. The move rejuvenated a contract year for Oweh, who had disappointed in Baltimore following a 10-sack season in 2024. If he’s looking to build on that momentum, Oweh could be a candidate to return to Baltimore. Minter’s scheme helped spark his late-season breakout, and a reunion would give the Ravens a familiar pass rusher coming off his most productive stretch of the year. Tony Jefferson, safety Another familiar face: Jefferson played in Baltimore from 2017 through 19 and again in 2021. He has spent the past two seasons in Los Angeles after a brief retirement in 2023. Even at 34 — a milestone he reaches later this week — the safety remained productive, finishing tied as the Chargers’ eighth-best defender this season according to Pro Football Focus. He recorded seven passes defended and four interceptions. With Baltimore’s starting safety spots seemingly locked up by Kyle Hamilton and Malaki Starks — along with free agent Alohi Gilman, who was acquired in the Oweh trade and previously played under Minter — Jefferson would likely be viewed as a depth option rather than a starter if he returned to the Ravens. Related Articles New Ravens coach Jesse Minter’s staff begins to take shape Josh Tolentino: New Ravens, Orioles leaders put Baltimore in unfamiliar territory | COMMENTARY 2 former Ravens assistants joining Giants coach John Harbaugh’s staff What’s next for Ravens and new coach Jesse Minter? More big decisions. Can Jesse Minter be for Ravens what Mike Macdonald is for Seahawks? ‘There’s a blueprint.’ Del’Shawn Phillips, linebacker Phillips earned All-Pro honors as a special teamer this season in Los Angeles. After a breakout year, it would likely take more than a depth role to lure him away from the Chargers. That could be difficult in Baltimore, where Roquan Smith, Trenton Simpson and Teddye Buchanan are set to return at linebacker. Still, Phillips is familiar with the organization, having spent time with the Ravens in 2022 and 2023. Da’Shawn Hand, defensive tackle A former standout at Alabama, Hand has developed into a reliable veteran interior run-stopper over the course of his NFL career. The 30-year-old is coming off a career season, recording 6 1/2 stuffs with the Chargers — the most of his career — along with 29 tackles. He also has regional ties, having attended Woodbridge High School in Virginia. Benjamin St-Juste, cornerback St-Juste settled into a rotational role in Los Angeles this season. If he reaches free agency, he’d be a familiar depth option for Minter. St-Juste started two games and logged 356 defensive snaps — the lowest total of his career in any season with double-digit appearances — but flashed ball skills in limited opportunities. He logged seven passes defended with one interception. At 28, St-Juste makes sense as a depth option. Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes. View the full article

New Ravens coach Jesse Minter will be officially introduced at a news conference Thursday. Already, though, his staff has begun to take shape. Here is a look at who has been confirmed to be or reported to be joining Baltimore’s coaching staff. Mike Mickens, defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Mickens, 38, comes to Baltimore from Notre Dame, where he held the same role with the Irish. He also has longstanding ties with Minter. The former cornerback who played at the University of Cincinnati from 2005 to 2008 was a defensive assistant for Minter at Indiana State in 2012, when Minter was the defensive coordinator there. Mickens eventually worked his way up the collegiate ranks, landing with Notre Dame as cornerbacks coach in 2020 before being promoted in 2024. Along the way, he worked with cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner at Cincinnati and helped develop Los Angeles Chargers 2024 fifth-round pick Cam Hart, as well as Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2025 second-round pick Benjamin Morrison and Atlanta Falcons third-round pick Xavier Watts. Irish cornerback Leonard Moore is also projected to be an early round draft pick next year. In 2024, Notre Dame finished with the top-ranked defense in pass efficiency, was fourth in passing yards allowed (169.4), fourth in scoring (15.5 points per game) and fifth in interceptions (19). Minter also has familiarity with the Ravens’ best and most versatile defender, All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton, whom Minter coached at Notre Dame. 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

Dylan Beavers arrived Friday evening for a Birdland Caravan event at The Warehouse at Camden Yards dressed for two teams. As the highly ranked Orioles prospect discussed the excitement surrounding a new manager and a new season, Beavers sported a black and purple Ravens hat. He purchased the cap while attending a game last season at M&T Bank Stadium. It represented a small detail that felt fitting given the moment Baltimore sports now finds itself in. For the first time in decades, the city’s two pro franchises are turning the page at the same time. The history around it, though, makes these changes feel unprecedented. When the Orioles and Ravens open the 2026 season, both teams will be led by first-year leaders: manager Craig Albernaz in the dugout and coach Jesse Minter on the sideline. Baltimore has entered a season with new leadership atop both major professional teams only twice previously — and never without the arrival of a new franchise. In 1954, the Orioles played their inaugural season in Baltimore under Jimmie Dykes, while the Colts began their second season in franchise history under coach Weeb Ewbank. The Colts ditched Baltimore for Indianapolis in 1984, leaving the city without an NFL team for more than two decades. But in 1996, the Ravens arrived with first-year coach Ted Marchibroda, while the Orioles were managed by Davey Johnson. In 2026, though, neither team is being born. Both are resetting with expectations already attached and pressure to get it right quickly. The Ravens, after finishing 8-9 and missing the playoffs, parted ways earlier this month with 18-year coach John Harbaugh, ending an era defined by culture, continuity and stability. Owner Steve Bisciotti recently acknowledged the team’s failure to reach expectations and the wide sense of disappointment hovering his franchise after two seasons of postseason regression. Bisciotti’s firing of Harbaugh and his message was clear: quality stewardship was no longer sufficient. Former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter steps in as Ravens coach after John Harbaugh's 18 seasons. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong) What has followed deserves some acknowledgment. The Ravens conducted a deep, diverse coaching search, interviewing nearly two dozen candidates, from experienced head coaches and established coordinators to fast-rising assistants. Eventually, they narrowed their pool to a handful of candidates, a group that traveled to the team’s headquarters in Owings Mills to meet with high-ranking officials for final in-person interviews. Baltimore also didn’t rush to fill the job; Bisciotti fired Harbaugh on Jan. 6 and the Ravens announced Minter’s hiring more than two weeks later on Jan. 22. That was fine practice by general manager Eric DeCosta and Bisciotti, the founder of Aerotek, the largest privately owned staffing and recruiting company in the U.S. Now, the Ravens front office must match that diligence with urgency in everything that follows over the course of this busy offseason. Related Articles 2 former Ravens assistants joining Giants coach John Harbaugh’s staff What’s next for Ravens and new coach Jesse Minter? More big decisions. Can Jesse Minter be for Ravens what Mike Macdonald is for Seahawks? ‘There’s a blueprint.’ 5 potential candidates to become the Ravens’ next offensive coordinator Mike Preston: Ravens get back to roots with Jesse Minter hire | COMMENTARY On the Orioles’ side, urgency has already loudly emerged as the defining theme of the offseason. Albernaz arrived in late October after an injury-filled season forced the organization to confront the harsh reality attached to the disappointing results and Baltimore’s last-place finish in the AL East that included Brandon Hyde’s firing. Albernaz’s hiring represented a franchise attempting to modernize its top voice with player-centered care and attention. President of baseball operations Mike Elias, meanwhile, has spent this winter acting more aggressive and equally aware that the Orioles are no longer allowed to behave like a team waiting for permission to compete. Public declarations about being “buyers,” paired with ownership’s willingness to spend, has resulted in one of the most exciting offseasons in Elias’ tenure. “I felt good about this job when I initially took the job,” Albernaz said Friday. “That just speaks to the team that [Elias] and his group has constructed both in the player developmental side and acquisition side. They’re identifying how to make our team better.” The Ravens are standing at a similar point in their own reset. Baltimore has already taken the most difficult step by disrupting the most stable structure in franchise history. Harbaugh is Baltimore’s winningest coach, with a resume that boasts an overall record of 193-124, a dozen playoff appearances (including four appearances in the AFC championship game) and just three losing seasons. Enter the Minter era. It will be defined by how aggressively the Ravens support Minter, through staff construction, roster building and the willingness to address weaknesses instead of navigating around the issues. The same urgency Elias has shown surrounding the club’s offseason moves directly related to the Orioles’ competitive window, is the kind of aggression Eric DeCosta must continue to display as the Ravens move deeper into the offseason. While the Ravens have been reluctant to spend much in free agency, preferring to draft, develop and reward their in-house talent, this all is about mindset. We’ll hear exactly more on that from DeCosta and Minter on Thursday during Minter’s introductory news conference. New Orioles manager Craig Albernaz takes over a team starved for postseason success. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Amid what pitcher Tyler Wells described as “the most intense offseason” he’s been part of, the Orioles’ message this winter has been actually quite simple: tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, and waiting rarely pays off. After Albernaz’s hire, the club’s aggression and urgency throughout the offseason has resulted in loud excitement ahead of spring training and the 2026 season. After hiring Minter, will the Ravens follow suit and create a similar level of elation across the city? Back at Camden Yards, Beavers eventually moved on to the next stop on the Caravan, still wearing the Ravens hat as he continued discussing a new staff and a season that hasn’t arrived yet. It feels uncommon across major sports towns, but two teams in the same city are similarly navigating unfamiliar waters. The Orioles and Ravens are moving forward without much precedent, two organizations going through major changes at the top while still embedded in Baltimore. There’s no particular roadmap for what comes next — just two beloved franchises finally willing to find out. That alone is worth embracing. Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. View the full article

Former Ravens coach John Harbaugh cut his NFL teeth as a longtime special teams coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. So it should hardly come as a surprise that one of his first moves since being introduced as the Giants coach last week zeroed in on a familiar face from Baltimore for the same role with New York. Harbaugh is hiring Ravens special teams coordinator Chris Horton for the same role with the Giants, a source with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Baltimore Sun. Harbaugh has also hired former Ravens assistant and ex-Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson as his defensive coordinator, the source said. The Ravens had previously blocked Horton from making a lateral move but changed course and gave permission Saturday night. Baltimore hired Harbaugh’s replacement, Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, on Thursday. Horton, 41, has been Baltimore’s special teams coordinator since 2019 and was the assistant special teams coach for five years before that. He will also have an assistant head coach title with the Giants, making the move a promotion for the former defensive back who spent the past 11 seasons as part of Harbaugh’s staff. It’s the first coach that Harbaugh, who is expected to bring some Baltimore assistants with him, has officially plucked from the Ravens. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken has also been linked to the Giants. There’s at least some familiarity for Horton, too. After playing for Washington from 2008 to 2010, the former seventh-round draft pick out of UCLA briefly signed with New York in the 2012 offseason before being released that August. During Horton’s tenure in Baltimore, the Ravens consistently had one of the league’s better special teams units, ranking in the top 10 in several categories over the past seven seasons, including yards per punt return, punt returns for 20-plus yards, kickoff return yards allowed and kick return touchdowns. He also helped coach several Pro Bowl selections over the years, including long snapper Morgan Cox, kick returner Devin Duvernay, kicker Justin Tucker and punters Sam Koch and Jordan Stout. This season, the Ravens improved in special teams defense-adjusted value over average, ranking 12th in 2025 compared with 23rd in 2024, and Stout was an All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection after averaging 50.1 yards per punt with 24 punts downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Rookie kicker Tyler Loop also made 30 of 34 field goal attempts and 44 of 46 extra point attempts but missed a game-winning try in a Week 18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that eliminated Baltimore from the playoffs. The Ravens also ranked fourth with 19 punt returns of 20-plus yards and sixth in kickoff return defense, allowing only 22 yards per return. Related Articles What’s next for Ravens and new coach Jesse Minter? More big decisions. Can Jesse Minter be for Ravens what Mike Macdonald is for Seahawks? ‘There’s a blueprint.’ 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’ As for Wilson, the former Ravens defensive backs coach was in the running for Baltimore’s defensive coordinator job after Mike Macdonald left to become the Seattle Seahawks coach following the 2023 season, but he shunned both Seattle and Baltimore and left to become the Titans’ defensive coordinator. Harbaugh then went on to hire Zach Orr. Though the Titans boasted a strong defense in 2024, ranking second in yards allowed, they dropped to 21st this past season. Tennessee also ranked near the bottom of the league in the red zone defense as well as scoring defense in 2025. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Jesse Minter’s hiring answered the Ravens’ biggest question of the offseason. It also started the clock on everything that comes next. Over the coming weeks, Minter will be tasked with assembling his coaching staff, shaping an offense around quarterback Lamar Jackson and navigating a pivotal offseason that includes free agency, the NFL draft and several major personnel decisions. “I am truly honored to serve as the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens,” Minter said in a news release. “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.” Minter, 42, takes over after coach John Harbaugh was fired Jan. 6 following 18 years with the organization. As is often the case with a head coaching change, much of the staff around Minter is expected to turn over. While Minter’s background is on defense, his most pressing early decision will come on the offensive side of the ball — one that will be heavily scrutinized. The Ravens could look to candidates they already vetted during this hiring cycle. Among them are Buffalo offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who helped Josh Allen win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award last season; Broncos offensive coordinator Davis Webb, praised for his work developing quarterback Bo Nix; Rams passing game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase; and Kliff Kingsbury, who called plays for Washington during its run to the NFC championship game in 2024. All four interviewed for the Ravens’ head coaching vacancy. They also could be hired by another team. Current quarterbacks coach Tee Martin might be the in-house option, but he was also fired at USC after serving as offensive coordinator. It is still too early to know whether Minter will call defensive plays himself. But the path taken by former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald could offer a clue. Macdonald, now the Seahawks’ head coach, continues to call defensive plays. Minter and Macdonald worked together on Baltimore’s defensive staff from 2017 to 2020 and share a Michigan and Jim Harbaugh coaching lineage. The Ravens want to win now, and Macdonald’s Seahawks are playing in the NFC championship game on Sunday night in just his second season as coach. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Friday that the Ravens conducted their first interview for defensive coordinator with Joe Cullen, the Chiefs’ defensive line coach. Related Articles Can Jesse Minter be for Ravens what Mike Macdonald is for Seahawks? ‘There’s a blueprint.’ 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? The move would make sense given Baltimore finished tied for the third-fewest sacks in the league last season. Cullen also previously spent five seasons coaching with the Ravens. Coordinator hires typically come in waves, with defensive roles often filled more quickly, but both should be finalized by Feb. 26, ahead of the NFL scouting combine. Reshaping the roster Baltimore’s offensive priorities are clear: stabilize the interior offensive line to protect Lamar Jackson. That likely means finding a long-term answer at guard and deciding whether to pay the premium to keep Tyler Linderbaum at center or risk a significant step back in the middle of the line. There’s also the need for a premier edge rusher. The Ravens currently hold 10 picks in the 2026 NFL draft, including the No. 14 overall selection, with four additional projected compensatory picks bolstering their mid-to-late rounds. The draft, beginning April 23, will offer the clearest glimpse into how Minter plans to build the Ravens in his image. Working alongside general manager Eric DeCosta, Minter will help determine whether Baltimore leans toward defensive reinforcements, offensive weapons or long-term development projects. Alohi Gilman, who played under Jesse Minter with the Chargers before being traded to Baltimore, is entering free agency. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) The Ravens’ key pending free agents include Linderbaum, punter Jordan Stout, safety Alohi Gilman (who played under Minter with the Chargers before being traded to Baltimore), edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones, cornerback Chidobe Awuzie and fullback Patrick Ricard. Baltimore has limited cap flexibility because of Lamar Jackson’s $74.5 million cap hit ($5.4 million in effective cap space, per Over The Cap), meaning that re-signing its own talent will likely take priority over major external spending, even with 10 draft picks (including yet-to-be-awarded compensatory selections) in hand. On Jan. 13, DeCosta signaled the Ravens could be more aggressive than they’ve typically been, but he tied that directly to Jackson’s contract. He said that an extension would create “more flexibility” to re-sign Baltimore’s own free agents and potentially pursue “a couple big-ticket items.” Building through the draft remains the organization’s preferred model, with free agency, which begins March 11, and trades used when the “right player, right price” aligns. “We’ve been more reserved when it comes to free agency,” DeCosta said. “We like the amount of draft picks we have this year. We do have money to go out and re-sign guys, free agents that we have right now — some good players. But having more money would be helpful for sure.” There’s good reason to be optimistic and excited about the new era in Baltimore. The roster could look a little different, the sideline for sure. But these next few weeks will show the direction Minter wants to take the franchise. “He clearly understands the values, high expectations and history of the Ravens,” owner Steve Bisciotti said. “He has a great vision for the future.” Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes. View the full article

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