
When Jim Harbaugh was hired as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, one of the first moves that he made was to bring Jesse Minter — his defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan — along with him.
Minter was a key factor in Michigan winning the national championship in 2023 and he helped lead a resurgent Chargers defense last season. Now, executives around the NFL believe that he is a future head coach, at least according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic.
Howe states that his intel from around the league suggests that Minter will be a hot candidate, maybe even next season.
“If you’re looking for potential head-coaching candidates, it would be wise to start with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. One rival executive was adamant he’ll be a head coach soon, perhaps as early as 2026. Minter has prior experience with the Ravens (2017-20) and Jim Harbaugh’s talented Michigan staffs before following him to Los Angeles. Teams in search of a defense-minded approach will be doing work on Minter and Packers DC Jeff Hafley”, wrote Howe.
That lines up as Minter is a respected defensive mind with an impressive resume that dates back to being at Notre Dame in 2006. It would be a tough loss for Harbaugh’s staff in Los Angeles, but the 42-year-old coach will be a name to watch after the 2025 season when there will be openings.
READ: Chargers predicted to land Green Bay wide receiver
Here are some teams that could consider hiring Minter:
Cincinnati Bengals
Zac Taylor took the Bengals to the Super Bowl just less than four short years ago, but the Bengals are a mess on defense and there is no indication that will change this season. If the Bengals miss the playoffs this season, Taylor could easily be out.
Cleveland Browns
Kevin Stefanski has won NFL Head Coach of the Year twice and could still be let go if the Browns have another disaster of a season. Anyone want to bet that they won’t?
Indianapolis Colts
Shane Steichen is not a bad coach but what he has in Indianapolis, particularly with the quarterback situation, is far from ideal. If the Colts completely fall apart this year, they could decide to go in a different direction and while they’ll need a long-term answer at quarterback, they could opt for a defense-minded coach.
MORE CHARGERS CONTENT
Los Angeles Chargers’ biggest X-Factor for 2025 will have huge chance to make big impact
Chargers predicted to use first-round pick on current player’s brother in 2026
Chargers bring back former offensive lineman, release veteran from practice squad
Los Angeles Chargers Practice Squad: Team signs 17 players after announcing 53-man roster
Los Angeles Chargers’ pre-cutdown trade shows how far position group has fallen
