A thorough head coaching search over the past few weeks for the Baltimore Ravens has come to a conclusion. On Thursday evening, the Ravens officially hired Jesse Minter to be the team’s next head coach. Here is the Baltimore Beatdown staff’s reaction to this decision.
A new era begins. After missing out on a guy like Mike MacDonald, it seemed like the Ravens would want the next closest thing to lead them forward. While a part of me wanted either an offensive-minded coach or someone with no ties to the organization, I always suspected that Steve Bisciotti and Eric DeCosta would choose someone they were familiar with. Minter’s defenses have been fierce both in college and the NFL, and I am most impressed by the production he got from a team that did not invest a significant amount of its cap to the defense. I am intrigued to see the offensive coordinator Minter will pick. That will help me fully gather my thoughts on this hire. Hopefully Minter will help this franchise get back to the glory days. — Mark Myers
Minter is the guy many pegged as the most likely choice to replace John Harbaugh in Baltimore. Minter’s previous stint here means he is fully aware of the culture and expectations that come with this franchise. Similar to Mike Macdonald, Minter is a young, brilliant, defensive mind that should immediately have the Ravens plying strong defense again after two down seasons. Picking the right offensive coordinator will be paramount for Minter now. — Dustin Cox
Jesse Minter is a logical choice for the Baltimore Ravens’ next head coach. His connections to the organization and having coached under both Harbaugh brothers made him an instant favorite from the get-go. Some may consider these ties to be a downside, as he’s not a true “outside” hire per say. However, Minter’s experience with the Ravens years ago gives him a solid foundation of winning principles to build off of. He’s a branch on the Harbaugh tree, but very much his own coach. Much like Mike Macdonald, Minter is similarly a young defensive mastermind with multiple years of success now at both the collegiate and professional level. His defensive chops and expertise should instantly upgrade the Ravens significantly on that side of the ball, where they’ve regressed the last two years. The onus will now be on Minter to build out a high-level coaching staff around him, particularly on the offensive side of the ball to maximize Lamar Jackson and company. — Frank Platko
Jesse Minter was the favorite all along, and the Ravens decided not to wait to interview any of the coaches whose teams are playing in conference championships this weekend. His resume is similar to Mike Macdonald, and Ravens fans will certainly be hoping he can bring that defensive prowess back to Baltimore. Minter’s defenses in Los Angeles have been excellent in each of the past two years, and his history and relationships in Baltimore will ease the transition after nearly two decades under John Harbaugh. Now, onto offensive coordinator, where Kliff Kingsbury appears to be the favorite. This staff could come together quickly. — Nikhil Mehta
The Ravens hiring Jesse Minter always made sense, and today it became official. Minter has followed a similar path through the league as Mike MacDonald and has been overwhelmingly successful at every stop. Most impressively, Minter generated a top defense in LA this year despite being ranked 31st in spending on that side of the ball. Minter is clearly a highly intelligent coach and more importantly is loved by his players (go look at some of their X posts right now). Minter’s primary focus now will be restoring the culture of elite defense in Baltimore and making a great OC hire for Lamar Jackson and company. Time will tell if Minter will raise the Ravens’ ceiling, but after the last few years, the arrow is certainly pointing up for Minter and Baltimore. — Stephen Bopst
Jesse Minter has been a popular name connected to Baltimore, going back farther than just this year. Ever since Mike Macdonald’s hiring to Seattle, Minter’s been talked about as an obvious successor in Baltimore. Now he’s headed to Baltimore in the exact move they need to get this organization back on track. While some might freak out about his Harbaugh connections, his resume is very similar to Macdonald. Many years as a Ravens assistant under John Harbaugh before becoming a defensive coordinator at Michigan with Jim Harbaugh. Minter then followed Jim to Los Angeles and has put together multiple years of excellent defense for the Chargers. Defense has been the downfall for this team in the playoffs for too long and this should hopefully put a stop to it. Now it’s time to find the offensive coordinator that will guide Lamar Jackson back to MVP levels of play and finally go win that ring. — Zach Canter
