NFL Exec Reportedly Believes Chargers DC Jesse Minter Could Be HC by 2026 Season

Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has worked his way up the coaching ladder throughout his career, and his next stop could be NFL head coach.

"If you're looking for potential head-coaching candidates, it would be wise to start with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter," Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported Friday. "One rival executive was adamant he'll be a head coach soon, perhaps as early as 2026."

Minter started as a defensive assistant for Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Indiana State and Georgia State at the collegiate level before joining John Harbaugh's staff as a defensive assistant for the Baltimore Ravens from 2017 through 2020.

John wasn't the last Harbaugh that Minter would work for, as he was the defensive coordinator for Jim Harbaugh at Michigan for two seasons in 2022 and 2023. The 2023 Wolverines won the national championship in large part because of their dominant defense, and Minter followed Harbaugh to the Chargers to take the same position starting in 2024.

Los Angeles led the league in points allowed last season with a defense that was strong in multiple areas.

It gave up the fewest rushing touchdowns in the league and the seventh-fewest passing yards while also finishing eighth in interceptions. That defense was a major reason the Chargers went from 5-12 in 2023 to 11-6 in 2024.

And Minter's efforts apparently caught the eye of those around the NFL, which could open the door for an opportunity to become a head coach.

That will put even more pressure on him to replicate the defensive success this season, especially in a strong division that also features the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos. But he has done nothing but succeed in recent years, and more of the same will put him in position to take the next step in his career.