Jesse Minter didn’t just land the Ravens’ head coaching job - he earned it the hard way. From grinding it out as a defensive intern at Notre Dame back in 2006 to now leading one of the NFL’s most stable and competitive franchises, Minter’s rise is a testament to patience, persistence, and a deep football mind that’s been sharpened at every level of the game.
This isn’t a flash-in-the-pan hire. It’s a culmination of nearly two decades of steady development.
After cutting his teeth at Notre Dame, Minter moved through the ranks as a graduate assistant at Cincinnati, then spent four years at Indiana State, followed by a stint at Georgia State. That’s where the Ravens first took notice, bringing him on board in 2017.
At the time, few could’ve predicted he’d one day return to Baltimore as the head coach - but the foundation was already being laid.
Minter’s coaching journey reads like a blueprint for how to build a leader. He’s been in the trenches, from college programs like Vanderbilt and Michigan to NFL sidelines with the Ravens and Chargers. At each stop, he didn’t just add lines to his résumé - he added layers to his understanding of the game, of leadership, and of what it takes to win at the highest level.
At his introductory press conference, flanked by Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, team president Sashi Brown, and GM Eric DeCosta, Minter made it clear: this wasn’t just about familiarity. It was about fit - and belief in the organization’s championship DNA.
“It makes it really special,” Minter said. “I told Eric [DeCosta] this - it wasn’t because I knew everybody here that I wanted this job.
It was because of my time here that I was able to see how this place operates. Knowing that everything is in place to be a championship organization.”
That time in Baltimore - first as a defensive assistant (2017-18), then as assistant defensive backs coach (2019), and later as the full defensive backs coach - gave Minter a front-row seat to the Ravens’ culture. It’s a place where coaching talent is grown, not just hired. And Minter is living proof.
“I certainly just have the respect and humility of working your way up,” he said. “Now, I think anybody that comes into our coaching staff, comes into our organization, you put your head down and go to work.
You work every day to try to be the best - whatever that role is. If you really focus on that and try to be the best at your job, anything is possible.”
That mindset - work ethic over ego - has defined Minter’s rise. But leadership in the NFL isn’t just about knowing Xs and Os.
It’s about commanding a room, earning the respect of veterans, and adapting to the ever-evolving demands of the game. When asked about how he’s grown into that kind of leader, Minter didn’t dodge the question.
“It’s just always trying to evolve, always trying to get better,” he said. “When I came in here, I had been a small college defensive coordinator, so I had stood up in front of the room and called defenses before. But I really made it a point here to come in and learn and listen and get to know the players - to learn from them about what it took to be successful at this level.”
That humility, paired with a relentless drive to improve, has shaped Minter’s coaching style. He’s not trying to be anyone else.
He’s grown into his own voice, his own rhythm - and it’s resonated. His confidence has grown with each stop, from Michigan to the Chargers, and now back to Baltimore.
And make no mistake - Minter isn’t just here to manage. He’ll be calling the defensive plays himself. He’s already excited about building around standout safety Kyle Hamilton, and when asked about Lamar Jackson, he didn’t hesitate: “the game’s best player,” he called him.
That’s the kind of clarity and conviction you want from your head coach. Someone who knows what he has, and how to use it.
Jesse Minter’s story isn’t about overnight success. It’s about building something real, one job, one season, one lesson at a time. Now, with the keys to the Ravens’ franchise in hand, he’s ready to lead - not because he was handed the opportunity, but because he’s prepared for it.
The Ravens didn’t just hire a coach. They promoted a culture. And in Jesse Minter, they’ve got a leader who understands exactly what that means.