There are no shortage of suitors interested in hiring Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter as a head coach.
But you can add the New York Giants to the list as well, since they have requested an interview for the highly sought-after Minter after the Chargers’ season ended with a 16-3 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday night.
Minter has spent the past nine seasons working in the NFL/Division 1 college as a defensive coach, with eight of those seasons coming as an assistant to either Jim or John Harbaugh. The 42-year-old has been the Chargers defensive coordinator since he and Harbaugh left the University of Michigan together before the 2024 season.
The Chargers defense finished first in points-against per game in 2024 and was ninth in that category in 2025. They allowed the fifth-fewest yards per game in the NFL in 2025 too.
The New York Giants Requested An Interview With Jesse Minter
According to NFL insider Albert Breer, Minter has received a request to interview for all eight available head coach openings in this cycle, including the Giants.
“That’s right—all 8 teams with openings put in for him,” Breer posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday.
Minter is now at least the 10th potential interview for the Giants head coach opening. John Harbaugh, Vance Joseph, Kevin Stefanski, Mike McCarthy, Raheem Morris, Antonio Pierce, Steve Spagnuolo and 2025 interim coach Mike Kafka have been linked to the Giants role.
Harbaugh is considered the frontrunner, since he reportedly is interested in the role and met with Chris Mara on Monday. Still, the Giants are doing their due diligence and casting a wide net, since candidates like Harbaugh, Minter and Stefanski likely will have their choice of jobs.
Jesse Minter Studied Under John Harbaugh
Giants fans may have visions of John Harbaugh coaching on the sidelines in 2026, and if Harbaugh somehow spurns them, they surely want to pair a smart offensive-minded head coach with soon-to-be second-year franchise quarterback Jaxson Dart.
But New York also could use a defensive-minded coach like Minter to shore up that talented-yet-underachieving unit.
Despite an All-Pro year from Brian Burns, the Giants finished 28th in overall defense and 26th in points-against per game (25.8) during their 4-13 campaign. Of course, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen was fired midseason after New York relieved head coach Brian Daboll of his duties Nov. 10.
Plus, aside from coaching under Jim Harbaugh over the past four seasons, where they guided the Chargers to the playoffs twice and coached Michigan to a College Football Playoff national championship in 2023, Minter is also member of the John Harbaugh coaching tree.
Minter got his NFL break under John Harbaugh as a defensive assistant with the Baltimore Ravens in 2017. He spent four seasons coaching with the Ravens, ascending to defensive-backs coach under then-defensive coordinator Wink Martindale in 2020, before he left to become the defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt.
A season later he joined Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. Between his prowess and pedigree, Minter seems likely to land one of the available head-coach spots and may even replace his mentor in Baltimore.
Giants To Interview Highly Sought-After Defensive Coordinator for Head Coach