Behind the Steel Curtain
Another domino has fallen in the NFL’s 2026 coaching carousel, with the Baltimore Ravens announcing Thursday they have hired Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter as their next head coach.
The news takes one of the offseason’s top coaching destinations off the board, as well as one of the Steelers’ head coaching candidates. Pittsburgh interviewed Minter virtually last week; now, the Steelers will face him twice a year.
Minter follows John Harbaugh as Baltimore’s head coach. Before that, Minter worked on the staff of John’s brother Jim Harbaugh at both Michigan and on the Los Angeles Chargers. The ties don’t end there: Minter’s first NFL job was under John Harbaugh as a defensive assistant and later defensive backs coach for the Ravens from 2017-20.
In 2025, Minter’s Chargers defense ranked ninth-best in points per game, fifth in passing yards allowed, eighth in rushing yards allowed, and second in EPA per play.
With Baltimore hiring its next head coach, the first of three vacancies in the AFC North have been filled, with the Cleveland Browns and Steelers still searching.
Two of Pittsburgh’s interview candidates, Minter and now-Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley, have landed jobs elsewhere. Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver will interview in-person with the Steelers on Friday. You can view the full list of candidates here.
