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Jamison HensleyJan 22, 2026, 05:28 PM ET
- Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens announced they hired Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter to be their new head coach Thursday.
Minter is receiving a five-year contract, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
It's a move where Baltimore replaces John Harbaugh with Minter, a fast-rising coach who has strong ties to the Harbaugh family.
Minter has been the defensive coordinator for Jim Harbaugh for the past four seasons, overseeing the defenses at the University of Michigan (2022-23) and at the Chargers (2024-25). Minter's first NFL job came with John Harbaugh at the Ravens, where he was a defensive assistant from 2017 to 2020.
The hiring of Minter, who had long been considered the frontrunner for the Ravens' opening, comes 16 days after Baltimore fired Harbaugh, the franchise's winningest coach who was dismissed after 18 seasons. This also concludes the Ravens' meticulous head coaching search that included interviews with 16 candidates. Besides Minter, the other coaches brought in for second interviews by the Ravens were Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
Minter, 42, becomes the fourth coach in the Ravens' 31-year history and their youngest head coach ever. Before the Ravens' search officially began, one team source described Minter as "a legitimate genius," saying there was already tremendous support for Minter from his previous time in Baltimore.
The priorities for Minter will be to stop the Ravens from repeatedly underperforming in the playoffs and connect with quarterback Lamar Jackson, a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player who is coming off one of his worst seasons. Minter's familiarity with Jackson dates back to 2018, when Jackson worked with Minter as the scout team quarterback for the first half of that season.
Known for his temperament and leadership ability, Minter becomes the first Ravens head coach whose expertise comes from defense. The Ravens' first two head coaches -- Ted Marchibroda and Brian Billick -- were previously offensive coordinators, and Harbaugh had been a longtime special teams coordinator before landing in Baltimore.
Last season with the Chargers, Minter guided the NFL's fifth-ranked defense (285.2 yards per game). In 2024, which was Minter's first season in Los Angeles, the Chargers led the league with the fewest points allowed (17.7 points per game).
Traditionally known for their defense, the Ravens have struggled to stop teams lately, ranking 24th on defense last season (354.5 yards per game). It's only the third time in the last 25 years that the Ravens defense finished a season ranked 20th or worse.
Minter understands the culture in Baltimore because this represents a homecoming of sorts. He was a defensive assistant in Baltimore in 2017 and 2018 before being promoted to assistant defensive backs coach in 2019. Minter then became the Ravens defensive backs coach in 2020, when Baltimore ranked sixth in pass defense (221.0) and second in third-down conversion rate (34%).
By selecting Minter, Baltimore looks to uphold its reputation for stability and success. Over the last 27 years, the Ravens have had two head coaches -- Billick and Harbaugh -- and both won Super Bowls in their first five seasons in Baltimore.
On Jan. 6, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti fired Harbaugh after Baltimore failed to reach the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Harbaugh led Baltimore to 193 wins, including the playoffs, and a Super Bowl title in 2012, but the Ravens fell short of matching their postseason success that they had earlier with Harbaugh.
Since drafting Jackson in 2018, Baltimore won 86 games, which are the third-most in the NFL over that span. But, in eight seasons with Jackson, Harbaugh managed three victories in the postseason and never advanced the Ravens past the AFC Championship Game.
Minter becomes the fifth NFL head coach hired this offseason, joining Harbaugh (New York Giants), Kevin Stefanski (Atlanta Falcons), Robert Saleh (Tennessee Titans) and Jeff Hafley (Miami Dolphins).
