Notre Dame Dealt Major Blow As Top Assistant Heads to NFL

Mike Mickens is off to the Ravens in a huge hit to the Notre Dame coaching staff.

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive backs coach Mike Mickens in the huddle with players during a time out against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

As many of you know, one of my all-time favorite sayings is that "there's never a dull moment in Notre Dame land."

Just when you think Notre Dame has survived a rocky last month and a half and emerged on rock-solid footing, the Irish have been dealt a brutal blow as Marcus Freeman's best assistant coach, Mike Mickens leaves South Bend for the NFL.

There is no way to sugarcoat this news; this one stings.

Mike Mickens heads to the Baltimore Ravens

As frustrated as Irish fans are when it comes to the news of Mickens' departure, there is some solace that he will at least be moving on to the NFL and not another college team. If a coach has NFL aspirations, nobody could blame him for that. It just is what it is. If a coach moves laterally within the college ranks, that's a red flag that feels much different.

Interestingly, Mickens' new boss is Jesse Minter, the new Ravens head man and Michigan's defensive coordinator during the 2023 title run, a tainted title run as it seemed Michigan knew what play was coming most of the year, thanks to a little help from Connor Stalions. It will be fascinating to see how Jesse's tenure plays out.

Can confirm via multiple sources that Notre Dame defensive backs coach Mike Mickens is leaving for a job on Jesse Minter's staff with the Baltimore Ravens. Mainstay of the Irish staff under Marcus Freeman. Mickens was the primary architect of arguably the nation's best secondary.

— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) January 26, 2026

Did Marcus Freeman make a mistake not promoting Mickens to DC?

I don't think there's even a question that Mickens was by far Freeman's most accomplished assistant. His record of evaluation, recruitment, and development is unquestioned. Mickens took the Irish secondary, a liability for most of my entire life, and turned it into the strength of the Notre Dame defense. This is an incredible feat.

When the defensive coordinator job opened after Al Golden left, Freeman could have promoted Mickens to this role in an effort to reward him for his terrific work and keep him happy in South Bend. For a myriad of reasons, this didn't happen, and Freeman hired Chris Ash.

Mickens does not have a defensive playcalling history, and that makes Freeman not promoting him to this role completely understandable. That being said, it is fair to ask if Mickens is the type of rising star talent that deserved a shot before his time, similar to how Marcus Freeman became Notre Dame's head man.

What comes next for Marcus Freeman and his Irish program is a big task. He must replace his best assistant and the coach of his most gifted position group. This will be a tough task, and this is a brutal hit for Notre Dame regardless of who replaces Mickens.