Feb. 9, 2026, 4:18 p.m. ET

Before another word is typed, read, mentioned, or uttered, let’s make sure everyone is on the same page. We all realize the Baltimore Ravens hired Jesse Minter to win a Super Bowl, right? He isn’t here to lead the next era of good football. He isn’t here simply to win the AFC North and make postseason appearances. If that was the case, the Ravens could have just sauntered on with John Harbaugh leading them.

After 18 seasons of consistency, Baltimore made a change at head coach because they decided early postseason exits aren’t good enough. Missing the playoffs entirely after being labeled a Super Bowl favorite is out of the question, so Harbaugh is out. Minter is in.

We hate to rain on everyone’s parade. Yes, the newness of everything feels exciting. It can’t be said enough, though. Minter is here to win it all, and after the events of Super Bowl LX, one can argue that the timer has accelerated.

What Mike Macdonald’s Super Bowl win means for Jesse Minter’s era as Ravens head coach

Moments after Super Bowl LX, Ravens fans and the city of Baltimore likely shared the same mix of emotions. Most went unspoken, but all were understood. You could be happy for Mike Macdonald and, at the very same time, wonder what might have been. If you felt that tug, you weren’t alone.

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That’s the cost of watching one of your own win elsewhere. Pride and jealousy tend to arrive together. Cleveland fans lived that reality for decades after Art Modell left town, took the Browns‘ identity with him, rebranded his team, and won a Super Bowl in Baltimore.

The parallel isn’t perfect, but the feeling is familiar. Macdonald was family. He left and lifted the Lombardi Trophy while Baltimore waits for its next one. So yes, we’re all proud of Mike Macdonald, but don’t mistake it for contentment. If anything, his victory only sharpened Baltimore’s appetite for a championship of its own.

Championship windows close quickly in the NFL. Ask the Philadelphia Eagles. That reality defines the standard Jesse Minter now inherits. ‘Building toward something’ won’t sell. There’s no long runway to build toward something abstract. He inherits a two-time MVP, a stacked roster, and a city demanding results. Super Bowl LX didn’t reset the Ravens’ timeline. It shortened it.