Jesse Minter Has Found a Home but Chargers Are Prepared With Replacement Candidates

The Los Angeles Chargers were already looking to fill one coordinator position following the dismissal of Greg Roman as offensive coordinator days after their loss in the wildcard round to the New England Patriots. It is now official, they will be looking to fill both coordinator positions to replace defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.

After what seemed like weeks of speculation, Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter will officially be leaving Los Angeles. Minter coordinated a suffocating defense that was largely responsible for the Chargers success in 2025. He will be leaving the Chargers franchise after two seasons in Los Angeles after following head coach Jim Harbaugh from Michigan.

Early in the evening on Thursday, January 22nd, the Baltimore Ravens announced that they have officially hired Jesse Minter as their new head coach to be the successor to long-tenured coach John Harbaugh. Minter was a position coach under Harbaugh for the Ravens from 2017 to 2020.

Welcome to Baltimore, Coach Minter! pic.twitter.com/qwFekUZmF6
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 22, 2026

Shortly following the announcement, the Los Angeles Chargers acknowledged the hire on social media.

thanks for everything, coach 🫡 pic.twitter.com/fuqO3x4MxH
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) January 22, 2026

Jesse Minter's eventual hire as a head coach was long expected. He was the interim head coach at Michigan for their first game of the National Championship season when Jim Harbaugh served a self-imposed three-game suspension. Minter's defensive brilliance and performance lead an obvious fast ascension to a head coach role.

The Chargers planned for Minter's exit

The Chargers and Jim Harbaugh have known Minter's exit would be a matter of when not if he leaves for a head coaching opportunity. The franchise has been doing it's due diligence on several possible replacements including some internal promotion possibilities.

Meanwhile, like the #Packers did with Jeff Hafley, the #Chargers started to do work on defensive coordinators ahead of Jesse Minter taking the #Ravens HC gig. Expect them to move quickly to replace him. https://t.co/n38zj7XL5h
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 22, 2026

Internal candidates

Los Angeles Chargers defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale — Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Jim Harbaugh and his successor at Michigan Sherrone Moore had a tough battle for defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator Steve Clinkscale. Initially, when Harbaugh was hired by the Chargers, Jesse Minter left Michigan to follow Harbaugh to the Chargers and Clinkscale had informed the team on his intentions to stay.

The narrative changed for Clinkscale when Moore hired veteran defensive coordinator Wink Martindale to become Jesse Minter's successor at Michigan instead of the role being offered to him. Clinkscale then chose to follow Harbaugh for better career opportunities.

Clinkscale was convinced to come to the Chargers for better career promotion opportunities. It would make sense to see him elevated to role to succeed Jesse Minter.

Mike Elston

The Chargers defensive line coach Mike Elston also followed Jim Harbaugh to the professional ranks after the Chargers hired the National Championship-winning head coach from Ann Arbor. His elevation would be less likely given his lack of coordinating experience but he has done a tremendous job with the defensive line group at every stop including the Chargers.

Expectation

The Chargers have been preparing for the eventual exit of Jesse Minter. They have been developing and searching for candidates to replace him. We should expect the dominoes to fall rather quickly as it remains to be seen who Minter will poach from the Chargers staff to go to Baltimore with him.

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