BALTIMORE — Jesse Minter is heading back to Baltimore, this time as the Ravens’ next head coach.
The club hired the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator on Thursday. Minter replaces John Harbaugh, who was fired earlier this month after 18 years when the Ravens failed to make the playoffs.
Minter spent four seasons on Harbaugh’s staff from 2017-20, working his way up to become the defensive backs coach during his final season before taking the defensive coordinator job at Vanderbilt.
Minter, 42, was one of the hottest names on the market. He interviewed virtually with several teams — including the Pittsburgh Steelers, who also are looking for a coach after Mike Tomlin stepped down last week — before landing in Baltimore, where his job will be to help two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson take the next step in a career that’s been consistently snakebit in the postseason.
“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 said in a statement.
Minter has been with the Chargers for two seasons after two years as defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan. Minter’s partnership with both Harbaughs helped him build a resume that made him the right fit to replace John Harbaugh and become the fourth head coach in the Ravens’ 31-year history.
“Jesse is a strong leader who possesses a brilliant football mind and a spirit that will resonate with our players and fanbase alike,” general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “Jesse comes from a football family, with success at every level of the sport, and we are confident that he is the right coach to lead the Ravens forward.”
The Chargers were fifth in the league in total defense this season, allowing 285.2 yards per game. They allowed a league-low 17.7 points per game in 2024. The Wolverines led the nation in total defense in 2023 en route to winning the College Football Playoff national championship.
Minter also spent four seasons with the Ravens from 2017-20, rising from a defensive assistant to defensive backs coach his final year. He also interviewed for the head coach openings in Atlanta and Miami this week. The Las Vegas Raiders, Steelers and Tennessee Titans also have requested interviews.
The Ravens endured a tumultuous 2025 season marked by a 1-5 start and major injuries, from Jackson to defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike. The Ravens recovered to head into a Week 18 showdown with the Steelers for the AFC North title.
Rookie kicker Tyler Loop’s potential game-winning field goal on the final play sailed wide right, handing the division crown to the Steelers.
Harbaugh, the NFL’s second-longest tenured head coach, was out of a job days later. Harbaugh didn’t stay out of work long. The New York Giants hired him to the same position last week.
