Although Jesse Minter seemed like the perfect fit for the Baltimore Ravens, he still had to prove he was ready to take on their coveted head coaching job.
Then he showed up for an in-person visit.
“He just impressed us,” general manager Eric DeCosta said. As compelling as his videoconference interview was, I think spending time with him in Baltimore was even more valuable. I think in that moment, while he was with me in my office, I started to imagine Jesse as our head coach and what that could look like. »
Minter now takes the job and is expected to succeed John Harbaugh at the helm of a team that was considered a Super Bowl favorite just a few months ago. Minter, 42, returns to the organization in which he was part of the defensive staff for four seasons, from 2017 to 2020. Since then, he has served as defensive coordinator for Vanderbilt University, the University of Michigan and the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Ravens introduced Minter during a press conference Thursday.
The Ravens coaching job in Baltimore was considered one of the best opportunities of this cycle, thanks in part to the presence of quarterback Lamar Jackson, a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player winner.
Although Jackson’s post-injury struggles were a major contributor to the Ravens’ absence from the playoffs this season, the defense also bore a heavy responsibility. So it made sense to look at Minter, given his experience as a defensive coach and his knowledge of the Ravens.
“When I heard Jesse’s name as a potential candidate, I had a hard time picturing him as he is today, because I had only known him a few years ago, during the draft, when he was coaching the lowest ranked players on defense. I never really imagined it like that,” DeCosta said. But watching him last year – we played the Chargers last year – and watching that defense, I thought it was a good team, a solid defense and Jesse did a tremendous job. »
Minter has hinted that the Baltimore job is the one he wants, and there’s plenty of reason to believe him.
“You never really know which positions will become available. As we approach the middle and end of the season, we say to ourselves that we could be a candidate, mentioned Minter. But when this position became available, it became the ideal position for me, the one I really wanted. I have of course started the process with many teams, but by reconnecting with the people of this organization, by knowing its history, its traditions, its foundations, what it is based on, I have not found a better place for me. »
The Ravens interviewed as many as 16 people for the head coaching job, a process DeCosta called informative for a team that hasn’t been at this point since Harbaugh arrived before the 2008 season.
“It was a sprint. We handled it like a two-week draft, basically,” DeCosta said. Most of the time we had two interviews per day, at different times of the day. It was really interesting. Personally, it’s been valuable for me to talk to all these great, extremely intelligent leaders from other teams and see how they work. I learned a lot. It’s obviously not something we want to do every year, but doing it once was a very rewarding experience. »
Minter stressed that he plans to take care of the defensive plays. He also said he had “several conversations” with Jackson and hoped to have more. DeCosta said a small group of players met with the finalists, either in person or via video conference.
Minter takes the reins of a very talented team. Since Jackson’s arrival in 2018, only the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills have more season wins than the Ravens. However, the Ravens and Bills failed to reach the Super Bowl during that span, and it’s no coincidence that both teams hired new coaches this month.
“We are going to build a real team, solid and determined, which is based on combativeness, fundamental aspects and collective play. We will work tirelessly to become the best team in the NFL, insisted Minter. We’ll be at our best when we need to be – and I think that’s important. »
