While rival fans to the West and South like to debate Michigan football’s actual ability to make the College Football Playoff and win the national championship from 2021-23, they’re often missing the forest for the trees. Not only did the Wolverines have what ended up being a ton of NFL talent on those teams, but many of the coaches were top-notch. And you’re seeing more get appreciated every day.
One of the key pieces to the championship run (and the wins over Ohio State) was former Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who had a lockdown defense that teams had a really difficult time moving the ball on (TCU in 2022 notwithstanding). Minter was from the Baltimore Ravens tree, a protege of Wink Martindale, who eventually followed Jim Harbaugh to the NFL. Now, he’s under strong consideration to lead his own elite NFL franchise.
Per CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Minter has interviewed for the Baltimore Ravens job, perhaps set to replace his former head coach (while he oversaw defensive backs) in John Harbaugh.
#Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is interviewing in-person today with the #Ravens for their head coaching job, sources tell @CBSSportspic.twitter.com/QRQ33mOGK9
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 21, 2026
Minter was a former wide receiver at Mount St. Joseph and got his start as a defensive intern at Notre Dame before becoming a graduate assistant at Cincinnati, where his father had been the head coach before his time there. He coached with the Ravens from 2017-20 before taking the Vanderbilt defensive coordinator job under Clark Lea. He was hired the following year by Harbaugh and the Wolverines and was in Ann Arbor for two years.
He continues to be a hot commodity in the NFL, having his second interview with the Ravens and being a lead candidate for the Cleveland Browns.
Minter’s predecessor in Ann Arbor, Mike Macdonald, left the Wolverines to be the Ravens defensive coordinator before landing a head coaching job in 2024 with the Seattle Seahawks.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Former Michigan DC Jesse Minter drawing major NFL interest
