The Baltimore Ravens were inclined to wait. After a two-plus-week search, after 20 formal interviews and many more informal conversations with interested parties, they were still eager to have more talks with head-coaching candidates.
That’s how they do things. If there’s still debate or uncertainty, get more information and ask more questions. That’s what owner Steve Bisciotti, team president Sashi Brown, executive vice president Ozzie Newsome and general manager Eric DeCosta were preparing to do.
It wasn’t an indictment on the organization’s conviction in Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who had emerged as the front-runner during this meticulous search to replace the fired John Harbaugh. It was a testament to how much they believe in their decision-making process, which has guided one of the league’s most respected franchises for three decades.
Yet, waiting to interview more candidates — coaches participating in Sunday’s conference championship games aren’t permitted to meet with teams until next week — suddenly felt perilous. The Las Vegas Raiders were making a push for Minter, and the Ravens risked losing a guy who had aced the interview process and checked just about every box in their head-coaching search.
Not long after the Ravens concluded their third in-person “finalist” interview with Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady on Thursday, they had to move quickly to ensure Minter didn’t get away. Their response was a five-year deal that made Minter the fourth head coach in franchise history.
“He clearly understands the values, high expectations and history of the Ravens, and he has a great vision for the future,” Bisciotti said in a statement released by the team. “Jesse’s football acumen is outstanding, and that’s been proven by the impact he’s made throughout his entire coaching career. He is also a leader who will authentically connect with our players and inspire them to championship levels.”
Minter, 42, was the betting favorite entering this search. He was a Baltimore assistant under Harbaugh from 2017 to 2020, so he still had plenty of fans in the building. He followed a similar career path to that of former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who’s one win from taking the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl and has earned the distinction as the one who got away.
Minter had a pre-existing relationship with Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson. His defense in Los Angeles was adaptable, creative and aggressive. Chargers players and coaches raved about Minter’s football acumen, leadership skills and ability to connect with guys in the locker room. It was clear that in the five years since he had last been in Baltimore, Minter had grown into a head coach.
Jesse Minter received high praise from Chargers players and coaches during his two-year tenure as defensive coordinator. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Yet, this was never an open-and-shut case, either. If it was, the Ravens aren’t going through the motions of doing 20 interviews.
Team officials were impressed with their options. Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, who was the first of three candidates to get a second interview, reminded everyone why he’s long been an organizational favorite. Brady made a strong case and earned plenty of admirers in the organization. Denver Broncos pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb proved to be an incredibly compelling candidate, as did Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase and defensive coordinator Chris Shula.
Webb, Scheelhaase and Shula were all potential targets for second interviews next week if the search had persisted through the weekend. However, it didn’t because the Raiders helped the Ravens make a decision that they might have made by the middle of next week anyway.
There are risks with every hire, particularly when it comes to a first-time coach, but there was a comfort level with Minter and a sense that he not only knew what it meant to be a Raven, but he embodied some of those characteristics.
“This is an organization whose values, culture and tradition of excellence reflect everything I believe about the game of football and how it should be played,” Minter said in his statement.
The hire felt like a nod to the team’s rich defensive tradition. Yes, the ideal scenario was probably selecting a young offense-minded head coach who can grow with Jackson. But regardless of who they hired, the team’s defense, which has lost its way, badly needs to be fixed — and Minter seems like just the man for the job. A defense that can create turnovers and close games should help Jackson, too.
The move was also a reminder that the organization’s leaders fervently believe in the culture built over many years. This wasn’t about eradicating any Harbaugh influence or principles from the building. Harbaugh helped create, or at least solidify, a culture that the team’s decision-makers very much believe in.
He was fired on Jan. 6 because his recent teams had underachieved and couldn’t consistently hold leads or perform in the clutch. He had lost the confidence of some influential members of the locker room, too, which didn’t help.
However, the Ravens aren’t looking for a new coach to come in and undo everything Harbaugh practiced and preached. The Ravens may have needed a new energy and a new voice, but team officials clearly didn’t think they required an entirely different set of principles and philosophies.
Minter worked for four years under Harbaugh and four more under Harbaugh’s brother, Jim, and he surely believes in a number of their values. Yet, he’s his own man and his own coach, too, and he deserves an opportunity to show that.
The Ravens had arguably the most desirable head-coaching opening among the 10 vacancies, but that doesn’t mean Minter won’t face his share of challenges. His first order of business will be to assemble a coaching staff, and he needs to get the offensive coordinator hire right.
He needs someone who will form a tight bond with Jackson and help raise his game to another level after an injury-plagued campaign left the quarterback having to answer questions about his happiness in Baltimore and his relationship with his now-former head coach.
Potential candidates include former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Brady and former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll. Perhaps Minter could entice either Webb or Scheelhaase to come to Baltimore for an opportunity to call plays for a two-time league MVP.
The defensive hires feel less significant because Minter will be calling those shots. Still, he needs defensive coaches around him who can teach his system and understand his vision. On special teams, Chris Horton seems likely to stay and continue in his role.
After his coaching staff is complete, Minter needs to turn his attention to building relationships with Jackson and other key players. They won’t be starting from scratch.
As part of the interview process, Minter and other candidates spoke to a panel of key Ravens veterans. Bisciotti may not have acknowledged this publicly, but the tepid support for Harbaugh from several key players in the locker room surely factored into the longtime head coach’s dismissal. Minter needs to make sure that any cracks are repaired by the time training camp begins in July.
And then it will be all about winning. It was only a couple of weeks ago when Bisciotti, addressing the local media for the first time in several years, said he would be willing to exhibit some patience with his new hire. But he wasn’t going to wait around forever for another Super Bowl.
The Ravens believe Minter is the head coach who will get them there. They believe he was the best man for the job, and now it’s up to him to prove the Ravens right.