Ravens Insider: Ravens agree to hire Chargers DC Jesse Minter as coach, replacing John Harbaugh

[ExtremeRavens]

The Ravens have their man.

Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has agreed to become Baltimore’s next head coach, the team announced Thursday night. He replaces John Harbaugh, who was fired after 18 seasons on Jan. 6.

Minter, 42, is just the fourth coach in the Ravens’ 30-year history.

There is also lot of familiarity between the two, and his name began to percolate in recent days as he had a second interview that was in-person with Baltimore on Wednesday.

Minter was a defensive assistant in Baltimore from 2017 to 2018 and the assistant defensive backs coach in 2019 before being promoted to defensive backs coach in 2020. He then left to become defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt in 2021 and was Michigan’s defensive coordinator under Harbaugh’s younger brother, Jim, in 2022 and 2023.

In two seasons with the Chargers, who finished 11-6 and were eliminated from the playoffs by the New England Patriots in the wild-card round on Jan. 11, he helped turn around a defense that was one of the league’s worst before he arrived into a top-10 unit each of the past two seasons. His ascension in the coaching ranks has also been rapid.

The son of longtime college and NFL coach Rick Minter, the Arkansas native and former Mount St. Joseph University wide receiver began his coaching career in 2006 as a defensive intern at Notre Dame. He then spent as a graduate assistant at Cincinnati before becoming linebackers coach at Indiana State in 2009 and in 2011 was promoted to defensive coordinator.

He then took the same job at Georgia State in 2013 before landing on John Harbaugh’s staff four years later.

Now, he’ll replace the man who first hired him and the winningest coach in franchise history. Harbaugh’s 180 regular-season wins rank 14th all time.

But the belief is that Minter is ready to step into the role as a first-time head coach at any level. The hope is also that he can help turn around a talented defense led by All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton that sunk to one of the NFL’s worst each of the past two seasons after becoming the first to lead the league in sacks, takeaways and points allowed in the same season in 2023.

He did that with less talent in Los Angeles, with the Chargers allowing the third fewest points per game (16) this season and ranking ninth and 10th in defensive efficiency, per FTN, in 2024 and 2025. Los Angeles also tied for the third-most interceptions (19), the seventh-most sacks (45) and gave up the fifth-fewest passing yards per game (235).

It was of little surprise then that several teams with head coach openings made requests to interview Minter, Jim Harbaugh said earlier this month.

“Just his ability to motivate. Just all aspects, [he’s a] teacher. It’s always about the team,” he told reporters in Los Angeles when when asked what would make Minter a good head coach. “There’s no ego there. No self-promoting. I think that’s really important in the team environment. But check every box. You got a box to check? Check it. Check it with Jesse.”

Still to be determined is who Minter will hire for his offensive and defensive coordinator.

Current Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken has interviewed for several head coach openings and it has been reported he is likely to join John Harbaugh to run the New York Giants’ offense. Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr, who has been in charge of Baltimore’s defense the past two seasons, recently interviewed with Dallas Cowboys for their defensive coordinator opening that went to  and could also potentially land with the Giants.

Former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman held the same role with the Chargers each of the past two seasons but was let go after this season and replaced by former Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel.

The Ravens interviewed several other candidates for their head coach opening who could perhaps land a coordinator role, including Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase, Denver Broncos offensive pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb and former Ravens assistant and ex-Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.

As for Minter, he becomes the Ravens’ coach after emerging from a list of more than 15 candidates interviewed by Baltimore.

This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1.

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