The Baltimore Ravens are heading into 2026 with a clear objective: reset, refocus, and rebuild after a 2025 season that fell well short of expectations. Yes, the core stars are still in place - Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and Kyle Hamilton remain the faces of the franchise - but there’s no denying this team needed a shakeup. And that’s exactly what they’ve started doing, beginning with a major overhaul on the coaching front.
Gone is longtime head coach John Harbaugh, and in comes Jesse Minter, ushering in a new era in Baltimore. But while the top of the coaching tree has changed, the Ravens have also made a strategic move by promoting someone who knows the fabric of this team inside and out: Anthony Levine, now the special teams coordinator.
Levine, a former Raven himself, built his NFL career on grit, hustle, and a relentless motor on special teams. He wasn’t just a contributor - he was a tone-setter, a leader, and a franchise record-holder with 62 career special teams tackles. Now, he’s bringing that same energy to the coaching ranks, and the early returns are promising.
One name that keeps surfacing when you talk about Levine’s impact? Keondre Jackson.
Jackson entered the league as an undrafted rookie in 2025, and while the Ravens’ rookie class didn’t exactly light it up, Jackson turned heads. Initially stashed on the practice squad, he got his opportunity midway through the season when the team parted ways with safety Sanoussi Kane. From Week 10 on, Jackson seized the moment - and then some.
He finished his rookie campaign with 13 special teams tackles, but it wasn’t just the numbers. It was the way he played - fast, physical, and fearless.
His highlight moment came in that Week 10 matchup against the Vikings, when he forced and recovered a fumble in what turned out to be a pivotal win. Plays like that don’t just flip field position - they shift momentum, spark sidelines, and, in Baltimore, they evoke memories of Levine’s own playing days.
Inside the Ravens’ locker room, the comparison isn’t lost on anyone. Kicker Tyler Loop, punter Jordan Stout, and long snapper Nick Moore have all seen the similarities between Levine and Jackson.
The energy, the instincts, even the edge - it’s all there. As they put it during the season, Jackson “definitely has a wire loose,” and that’s said with admiration.
That kind of fire is exactly what Levine brought to the field for a decade, and now he’s channeling it into his coaching.
With Levine taking on a bigger role in 2026, the ceiling for Jackson rises. This isn’t just a case of a young player finding his footing - this is a potential special teams standout being mentored by one of the best to ever do it in a Ravens uniform. And if Jackson continues on this trajectory, Baltimore might have found its next special teams ace.
The Ravens have long prided themselves on elite special teams play - it’s part of their DNA. From Sam Koch to Justin Tucker to Anthony Levine, it’s a phase of the game they don’t treat as an afterthought. With Levine now steering the ship and Jackson emerging as a legitimate difference-maker, that tradition looks alive and well heading into 2026.
The Ravens are retooling, yes. But if you’re looking for signs of where this team is headed, start with the third phase - and the duo of Anthony Levine and Keondre Jackson. There’s something brewing there, and it’s worth keeping an eye on.