Baltimore Ravens hire Jesse Minter as head coach after John Harbaugh exit | Baltimore Ravens

Before they even began the process of interviewing more than a dozen people for their coaching position, the Baltimore Ravens knew a lot about Jesse Minter.

Now he has the job.

The Ravens hired Minter, 42, on Thursday, a little more than two weeks after firing longtime coach John Harbaugh. Minter is a familiar face, part of both Harbaugh’s coaching tree and that of his brother Jim. Minter’s first four seasons (2017-20) as an NFL assistant were with the Ravens, and he spent the last two years as defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers.

“Jesse was impressive throughout our incredibly in-depth interview process,” owner Steve Bisciotti said in a statement. “He clearly understands the values, high expectations and history of the Ravens, and he has a great vision for the future.”

Minter was a big name in the coaching market, interviewing virtually with several teams — including the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are looking for a coach after Mike Tomlin resigned last week — before landing in Baltimore. His task with the Ravens includes helping two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson get back on track after an injury-plagued 2025 season in which Baltimore missed the playoffs.

“This is an organization whose values, culture and tradition of excellence reflect everything I believe about football and how it should be played,” Minter said in a statement.

Minter was scheduled to have a second interview with Cleveland on Thursday before informing the Browns he was dropping his candidacy.

Baltimore was considered a top job offer due to Jackson’s presence and the organization’s stability over the years. The Ravens have certainly talked to plenty of candidates, including Minter, Joe Brady, Anthony Campanile, Brian Flores, Vance Joseph, Kliff Kingsbury, Klint Kubiak, Mike McDaniel, Matt Nagy, Robert Saleh, Jim Schwartz, Nathan Scheelhaase, Chris Shula, Kevin Stefanski, Anthony Weaver and Davis Webb. Stefanski was hired by the Atlanta Falcons and Saleh by the Tennessee Titans.

The Ravens decided to move on from Harbaugh after his 18 seasons at the helm, but Baltimore did a lot of good in those years. Mike Macdonald, former defensive coordinator under Harbaugh, has had great success as Seattle’s head coach with the Seahawks playing for the NFC title this weekend.

Minter and Macdonald were on the same staff in Baltimore. Minter rose to the role of defensive backs coach before accepting the defensive coordinator position at Vanderbilt. He spent one season with the Commodores before taking over as Michigan’s defensive coordinator under Jim Harbaugh and spending two years there. The 2023 Wolverines won the national title, then Minter went to the Chargers when they hired Jim Harbaugh as head coach.

Minter now becomes the fourth head coach of the Ravens in their 31-year history.

“Jesse is a strong leader who possesses a brilliant football mind and spirit that will resonate with our players and fans,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “Jesse comes from a football family, with success at all levels of the sport, and we are confident he is the right coach to lead the Ravens forward.”

The Ravens were the fifth team to fill a head coaching vacancy this offseason. Arizona, Buffalo, Cleveland, Las Vegas and Pittsburgh still have openings.

The Chargers finished fifth in the league in total defense this season, allowing 285.2 yards per game. They’ve allowed a league-low 17.7 points per game in 2024. Jim Harbaugh said in his end-of-season press conference last week that it’s only a matter of time before Minter gets a chance to become head coach.

“The product that Jesse has established as head coach of the defense is so good that we know it’s a matter of when. We’ve prepared for it,” Harbaugh said.

The Ravens had a tumultuous 2025 season marked by a 1-5 start and serious injuries, from Jackson to defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike. Baltimore still entered a Week 18 showdown with Pittsburgh with a chance to win the AFC North.

Rookie kicker Tyler Loop’s potential game-winning field goal on the final play sailed wide right, handing the Steelers the division crown.

John Harbaugh, the second-longest-tenured NFL head coach, was unemployed days later. Harbaugh didn’t stay out of work for long. He was hired in the same position by the New York Giants last week.

Although Jackson remains Baltimore’s centerpiece, over the past two seasons the defense has lacked the ferocity the organization prides itself on. Minter will try to improve on that, and it remains to be seen who he will bring to Jackson and the offense.

Rick Minter, Jeese’s father, has more than 45 years of coaching experience in the college and professional ranks, including 10 seasons as head coach at the University of Cincinnati.

During his time in Cincinnati, Minter had future NFL coaches John Harbaugh, Tomlin and Rex Ryan, as well as Jimbo Fisher, on his staff. Harbaugh and Tomlin each won a Super Bowl, and Fisher won a national title at Florida State.