The Baltimore Ravens announced Thursday that they are hiring Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter as their next head coach.
Your next coach of the Baltimore Ravens.
We have agreed to terms with Jesse Minter to be our head coach! pic.twitter.com/5VEBGk8iB1
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 22, 2026
“I am truly honored to serve as the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens,” Minter stated. “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.”
“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 stated. “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.”
Minter was a very strong candidates this cycle and had interest from a number of teams including the Steelers.
It became clear that Minter was going to be taking a head coaching job in the near future after he pulled out of a meeting with the Browns.
Here’s the full list of candidates for the Ravens’ job:
- Chiefs OC Matt Nagy (Interviewed)
- Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak (Interviewed)
- Broncos QB coach Davis Webb (Interviewed)
- Broncos DC Vance Joseph (Interviewed)
- Former Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury (Interviewed)
- Vikings DC Brian Flores (Interviewed)
- Browns DC Jim Schwartz (Interviewed)
49ers DC Robert Saleh (Interviewed)- Rams DC Chris Shula (Interviewed)
- Former Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel (Scheduled)
- Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase (Interviewed)
- Jaguars DC Anthony Campanile (Interviewed)
- Broncos assistant HC/ST coordinator Darren Rizzi (Expected)
Minter, 42, began his career as a defensive intern at Notre Dame in 2006 before working at Cincinnati, Indiana State and Georgia State up through 2016.
He then transitioned to the NFL with the Ravens in 2017 and was named DB coach in 2020. After spending one season as the defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt in 2021, he became the defensive coordinator at Michigan.
He followed HC Jim Harbaugh to the Chargers in 2024 as his defensive coordinator.
In 2025, the Chargers defense ranked No. 5 in points allowed and No. 9 in total defense, including No. 8 against the run and No. 5 against the pass.
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