The Baltimore Ravens are entering a new era under Jesse Minter, and players are already noticing a different atmosphere around the team.
Minter replaced John Harbaugh after the Ravens fired their longtime head coach following 18 seasons in Baltimore. The first-year coach has spent the offseason putting his own stamp on a team led by quarterback Lamar Jackson without trying to completely overhaul its culture.
According to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, some within the organization have noticed “less anxiety” around the Ravens as Minter emphasizes connecting players and coaches.
Wide receiver Rashod Bateman said that approach is already making an impact.
“He’s very [focused on] connecting the team right now,” Bateman said. “I think that’s something that we needed.”
Jesse Minter Brings ‘Be The Best’ Message to Lamar Jackson’s Ravens
Here is a deep dive into how Minter is motivating Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to “Be The Best:”
Minter has built his approach around the phrase “Be The Best,” which appears in large silver lettering near the doors leading to Baltimore’s practice field.
The 43-year-old coach has also introduced surprise competitions at the end of practices. He calls them “At our best, when our best is needed” periods.
The competitions have included players throwing 16-pound medicine balls, one-handed catch contests, weighted relay races and races pushing blocking sleds. Minter doesn’t tell players which competition is coming until the end of practice.
The goal is to prepare the Ravens for moments when they have to respond without warning.
“You never know what play is going to be the biggest play of the game,” Minter told his players. “Every situation, you’ve got to be ready. When your number is called, you step up and make the play.”
During one competition, rookie guard Olaivavega Ioane beat outside linebacker Zion Young in a medicine-ball throw. The entire defense had to do pushups, while rookie wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane celebrated the offense’s victory with a cartwheel into a backflip.
The exercises have a serious purpose for a Ravens team that has enjoyed significant regular-season success with Jackson but struggled to turn that success into postseason wins.
Ravens Players Notice ‘Less Anxiety’ With Jesse Minter’s Coaching Style
Hensley reported that Minter hasn’t been heard raising his voice at players during spring workouts or training camp.
Instead, when he doesn’t like how practice is going, Minter brings the team together and delivers his message to everyone.
He also takes a different approach to individual mistakes. Minter is known to put an arm around a player, explain what went wrong, and encourage him to focus on the next play.
Safety Kyle Hamilton explained how the approach has changed the environment.
“It’s kind of a pressure cooker that we live in on a daily basis, and he tries to take a lot of that out of it by maximizing our opportunities when we’re out there — understanding that we have to work hard, but at the same time, he takes care of us and puts us in positions to be successful and does not put everything on our plate every single day,” Hamilton said.
“It’s little things each time, and I can see us slowly crescendoing throughout the season.”
Ravens’ Camaraderie ‘Is in Outer Space’ Away From Practice Field
The change isn’t limited to practice.
The Baltimore Sun’s Sam Cohn highlighted the Ravens’ chemistry after the team held a dinner following joint practices in Minnesota.
“All we know from that night is that the camaraderie amongst this group is in outer space,” Cohn wrote.
Lane stood shirtless on a countertop rapping Kodak Black during the gathering, with Jackson later sharing the moment on Instagram.
Minter eventually got his own turn with the microphone. The rookie head coach chose Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” for karaoke, and the Ravens joined him.
Ravens’ New Jesse Minter Era Gets Strong Player Reaction: ‘Something That We Needed’