The Baltimore Ravens' new head coach does not plan to step back from being a defensive coordinator in 2026. While Jesse Minter knows he will have an entirely different job in his 21st season as a coach, he intends to maintain full control of the Ravens' defense.
Minter, who has been a defensive coordinator for 11 of the last 15 years, confirmed he will still call the defensive plays in 2026. The 42-year-old believes play-calling remains one of his biggest “strengths” and his best way to improve the team.
“I do plan on calling the defense,” Minter said. “I think that's a strength of mine. I think that's one of the reasons I'm sitting here… I think [the players] will feel my competitiveness, they'll feel my mentality every day, and I think we'll work hand-in-hand together to build a great team.”
"I do plan on calling the defense. I think that's a strength of mine. I think that's one of the reason's I'm sitting here." pic.twitter.com/R4Q4mzCIDU
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 29, 2026
Minter has yet to hire an offensive or defensive coordinator since accepting the head coaching job. By retaining defensive play-calling duties, he could follow Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles' blueprint and forgo hiring a defensive coordinator altogether.
However, the Ravens appear likely to hire a defensive coordinator soon. Baltimore notably requested an interview with Denver Broncos assistant Jim Leonhard, who appears to be Minter's priority.
Jesse Minter joins Ravens after a decade of calling plays
Minter has been a defensive coordinator since 2011, but spent only two years calling plays in the NFL. However, in those years, the Los Angeles Chargers never finished below ninth in points allowed and 11th in total yards allowed.
Minter now returns to the Ravens, where he coached from 2017 to 2020. He was a defensive assistant in his first two years before being named assistant defensive backs coach, and eventually promoted to defensive backs coach in 2020. Minter returned to college the following year and coached Vanderbilt's defense to a top-10 finish.
As a product of the John and Jim Harbaugh joint coaching tree, Minter has spent eight of the last nine years with one of the two brothers. Jim Harbaugh hired him as his defensive coordinator at Michigan in 2022 and brought his star assistant with him to the Chargers in 2024.
