Forget all the head coach interviews the Baltimore Ravens have done over the last week since they fired John Harbaugh.
While the franchise needs to cover all their bases in talking to candidates, they may have their sights already set on one guy.
Just hours after his season ended with a 16-3 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Wild Card Round, the Ravens requested an interview with former assistant coach and Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
“The Ravens are requesting to interview Chargers DC Jesse Minter for their vacant HC job, source said,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account on Monday, January 12. “An potentially important candidate. Baltimore will interview former Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury and Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver today.”
Minter was a defensive assistant coach for the Ravens under John Harbaugh from 2017 to 2020 and currently works for his young brother and Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. Minter was also the defensive coordinator for Jim Harbaugh at Michigan in 2023 on the way to winning a College Football Playoff National Championship.
“This week I was told that Jesse Minter is a ‘star in the making’ and that ‘he’s more than ready to be a head coach,’ ” The Athletic’s James Palmer wrote on his official X account, “This fits really well for an organization that is searching for their fourth head coach in its 30 year history.”
Top Candidate Among Coordinators
While John Harbaugh is the No. 1 head coaching candidate in this cycle, Minter is the likely top candidate among NFL coordinators a.k.a. potential first-time head coaches.
“Minter is the league’s most exciting young defensive coordinator, and it’s possible he fields calls from every team with a head coaching vacancy this winter,” The Ringer’s Steven Ruiz and Diante Lee wrote in their NFL head coach candidate rankings. “… Like Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald, Minter got his biggest break in the NFL with John Harbaugh and the Ravens.”
Macdonald is another former Ravens assistant and the coach the fans wish they had in 2025 as the offense struggled to find its footing and the Seahawks shocked the NFL by grabbing the No. 1 seed in the NFC Playoffs.
Minter Could Fix Defense Right Away
While John Harbaugh’s perceived disconnect with 2-time NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson was what likely led to him losing his job after 18 seasons, the Ravens’ defensive shortcomings were a factor as well.
Despite having a wealth of NFL All-Pro talent like safety Kyle Hamilton and inside linebacker Roquan Smith, the Ravens have struggled to put together a competent defensive front — most notably at edge rusher.
The Ravens finished 27th in the NFL in team defense after finishing in the Top 10 the last 3 seasons.
Baltimore finished the season with an 8-9 record but weren’t eliminated from the playoffs until a heartbreaking, 26-24 loss to their NFC North Division rival Pittsburgh Steelers in the regular-season finale.
“I have no problem whatsoever if the Ravens hire Jesse Minter as HC because I believe he’ll transform the defense into what we want, but my lord please just nail the OC hire,” Ravens Super Fan Hoodie Ramey wrote on X.
Ravens Reach Out to ‘Star in the Making’ for Head Coach Interview