Baltimore Ravens hire defensive-minded Jesse Minter as new head coach
The Baltimore Ravens have hired defensive-minded Jesse Minter as their new head coach, the team announced on Thursday. The contract is reportedly for five years.
Minter was previously the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers for two seasons, from 2024 to 2025. He is the fourth head coach for the Baltimore Ravens, replacing John Harbaugh, who was fired on Jan. 6.
"We are thrilled to announce an agreement with Jesse Minter to be the fourth head coach in Baltimore Ravens history," Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta said. "Jesse is a strong leader who possesses a brilliant football mind and a spirit that will resonate with our players and fanbase alike."
Before the season, the Ravens were one of the favorites to get to the Super Bowl. However, they finished the 2025 season with a disappointing 8-9 record and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
This season, the Ravens were 18th in points allowed per game and 24th in yards allowed per game.
Under Minter, the Chargers' defense allowed the fifth fewest yards per game and the ninth fewest points per game. In 2024, the Chargers led the NFL in fewest points per game.
Minter had his second interview with the Ravens on Wednesday, and reportedly was scheduled to meet with the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, but canceled.
"I am truly honored to serve as the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens," Minter said. "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. My family and I are thrilled to join the Ravens Flock, and we can't wait to make the fans, the great city of Baltimore and Maryland proud."
Who is Jesse Minter?
Jesse Minter's dad, Rick Minter, is a long-time NFL and college coach, who is currently on staff with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Jesse Minter began his coaching career as a defensive intern at Notre Dame, and then as a graduate assistant at the University of Cincinnati.
He was on the Baltimore Ravens coaching staff from 2017 until 2020, serving as a defensive assistant, assistant defensive backs coach and defensive backs coach.
Minter then went on to become the defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt and Michigan.
"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," DeCosta said.