Ravens' Jesse Minter Continues to Ace First Major Test

Long before the 2025 regular season even came to a close, Jesse Minter was widely believed to be the hottest candidate in the ensuing head coach hiring cycle, and it came to fruition as he was requested and interviewed for over half of the vacancies that opened up.

However, the opportunity to succeed John Harbaugh at the helm of the Baltimore Ravens not only seemed like a match made in heaven from the outside looking in, but returning to the franchise where he began his NFL coaching career instantly became his desired destination.

"When this job opened, this became the one for me, and this was the one that I wanted," Minter said at his introductory press conference. "I did go through the initial process with a lot of different teams, but as I was able to reconnect with people in this organization, and knowing the history, knowing the tradition, knowing the spine of the organization, kind of what it's built on, there was no better place for me."

As if the incredible work he did as the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers wasn't proof enough to show that he can maximize and motivate the talent at his disposal, Minter blew the Ravens away in his finalist interview. They didn't even let him out of the building without agreeing to terms, and he cancelled his next two interviews with the Cleveland Browns and Las Vegas Raiders.

Getting the job was just the first part of the test. The other half is putting together a staff that could help him bring his vision for the team to life as they look to establish a winning culture built on the long-standing foundation that was put in place before him.

Ravens continue to assemble all-star staff

Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct 12, 2025 — Oct 12, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Almost every reported and confirmed hiring Minter has made since taking the job has been universally praised for not only being forward-thinking but also innovative and wise as well. Just this week alone, he got a trio of seasoned coaches to join him and help insulate and balance what was shaping up to be a very young staff following the hire of 29-year-old first-time offensive coordinator Declan Doyle late last week.

During their head coach search, the Ravens interviewed Anthony Weaver multiple times after he previously served on Harbaugh's staff as the defensive line coach and assistant head coach. Even though they passed over him, Minter was still able to get the former player-turned-coach to come on as a non-play-calling defensive coordinator. Weaver will help him not only create defensive game plans each week but also motivate and connect with all players on a deeper level since he is already familiar with most of the team, having only been away for two seasons.

Minter also brought in a pair of young defensive coaches that he is familiar with and very close with to help him revitalize a secondary that the Ravens have significantly invested draft capital and cap space in recent years, but has failed to live up to the hype or its full potential the past two seasons. Former Navy defensive coordinator P.J. Volker, who is a long-time friend of Minter, and Miles Taylor, who served under him in Los Angeles last year, will be joining confirmed hire secondary coach and pass game coordinator, Mike Mickens, in overseeing the process of getting the unit to play at a high level consistently.

On the other side of the ball, the Ravens had already added one of the top offensive line coaches in the league before they even hired Doyle, in Dwayne Ledford, formerly of the Atlanta Falcons. Now they are reportedly bringing in a pair of veteran coaches to aid him, one of whom he is close with, and the other is familiar with the AFC North.

A week after being fired, former Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi is slated to reunite with Doyle, with whom he previously worked for the two different teams. Also sticking around in the conference is former Pittsburgh Steelers long-time running back coach, Eddie Faulkner, who coached a pair of Pro Bowlers during his seven-year stint in the Steel City and will get to work with a future Hall of Famer in Charm City with Derrick Henry. Both coaches have previous play-calling experience at the NFL level and will be excellent resources for Doyle to lean on.

The most recent addition to the coaching staff is one of the most vital: the quarterbacks coach. On the same day that it was reported that the Ravens would not be retaining Tee Martin as franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson's position coach, it was also reported that they've already settled on his replacement, with Arizona Cardinals quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Cardinals reportedly blocked him from interviewing to make lateral moves during this hiring cycle up until recently, after they agreed to hire Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur as their next head coach. He'll likely be looking to bring in his own quarterbacks coach to the desert, like Doyle is doing in Baltimore.

Woolfork is just the latest highly revered and coveted assistant that is either ascending or well-established that the Ravens have or will hire to Minter's staff. Not only is their collection of notable coaching talent loaded, but it's chock-full of potential successor candidates who could get promoted if and when one or both of the current coordinators get hired away due to impressive team success in the coming years. These hires have the Ravens ready for the immediate and foreseeable future, with more needed and expected on the horizon in the coming weeks.

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