Feb. 20, 2026, 3:23 p.m. ET
For some coaches, youth is treated like a hurdle to overcome. For Declan Doyle, it’s something closer to a competitive advantage for his new team, the Baltimore Ravens.
At 29 years old — essentially the same age as his franchise quarterback — Doyle doesn’t see a gap between himself and Lamar Jackson. He sees alignment. Shared perspective. Shared language. And now, for the first time in his career, he’ll pair that connection with full control of an NFL offense as a primary play caller.
That responsibility represents a significant shift from his previous role with the Chicago Bears, where his job centered on supporting head coach Ben Johnson and helping organize the offensive structure behind the scenes.
“Obviously, it’s a very different job. My job in Chicago was to support Ben and support our offense and try to get our guys on the same page. I was a communicator. I was a collaborator… but at the end of the day, he was the final stamp on anything we were doing as an offense.”
Those were Coach Doyle’s words, taken from his introductory press conference with head coach Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, and special teams coordinator Anthony Levine. Now, the goal is simple. Apply that final stamp.
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“And so, this is a different role where now I’m the one stamping it and kind of leading the staff. Being the last guy to see it, articulating the vision, being able to sell that to the players, and then, ultimately, being able to call the plays on gameday was what attracted me to this opportunity.”
While the title “first-time play caller” can invite skepticism from the outside, Doyle made it clear internally that the transition feels far less abrupt. His preparation for this moment didn’t begin when he was hired. It started years ago.
“I have been preparing for a long time. Really (at) every job that I’ve had.”
That preparation includes a ritual he has followed since entering the NFL in 2019, when he was a 22-year-old quality control coach with the New Orleans Saints. He arrived at the stadium hours early and mentally simulated drives before kickoff.
“Every game that I’ve been a part of in the NFL, I go out three hours early, and I’ll walk the field and basically simulate four drives. I knew that the first time I was going to call plays, probably, wasn’t going to be in a smaller setting. It was probably going to be with the bright lights. I felt like I needed to prepare for that early.”
That mindset, anticipating the moment before it arrives, is a large part of why head coach Jesse Minter felt comfortable handing Doyle the keys despite his age. It seems a gamble, a limited experience as the primary decision-maker on Sundays.
Because inside the building, Doyle isn’t viewed as inexperienced. He’s viewed as ready, and perhaps most importantly, he’s viewed as relatable to the most important player on the roster. In a league where offensive success often hinges on trust between the play caller and quarterback, Doyle’s age may not be a liability at all. It may be the bridge that accelerates communication, collaboration, and creativity.
So, yes. The NFL rarely hands this level of responsibility to someone so early in their career, but Doyle has spent years operating as if this opportunity was inevitable. Now that it’s here, the Ravens aren’t asking whether he’s old enough. They’re betting he’s prepared enough.