Jan 5, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy looks on during the first half against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Ravens Can Reclaim Division After Steelers HC Hire

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Jan 25, 2026 7:00 AM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers took advantage of the Baltimore Ravens' season-long stumble in waltzing into another playoff appearance, one that would ultimately be the last of Mike Tomlin's legendary head coaching career with the historic franchise.

He, along with longtime Ravens coach John Harbaugh, each braced for offseasons like no other for the likely Hall of Famers. Neither of the AFC North fixtures would be with the teams they'd spent each of their previous two decades with, completely rocking the division and the pair of usual-playoff regulars.

The Ravens, coming off of a disappointing 8-9 campaign, opted for a young up-and-comer in Jesse Minter to inspire the defensive-minded turnaround they've been eyeing. The Steelers, on the other hand, revealed their desire to maintain the status quo in their own hiring process.

Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

They brought in Mike McCarthy of Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys fame, a safe, if not unexciting angle when they had a chance to shock the league. They'll get their low-floor game-manager who has a shot at keeping Aaron Rodgers in-house and continue pumping out the slightly-above-average records, the sort of move that shouldn't hurt the Ravens' odds of returning to division-winning dominance.

Baltimore's Promising Future

The Steelers showed little signs of upside during Rodgers' Pittsburgh debut, even if they did reach the 10-win threshold at the Ravens' expense twice-over. Should the legendary quarterback opt to remain in the league, he'd celebrate his 43rd birthday midway through the 2026 season, and the once-vaunted Steelers defense did little to back up their reputation on his watch.

The Ravens, conversely, made it no secret that they're uncomfortable middling around the wild card tier of the playoffs. Franchise owner Steve Bisciotti made that clear himself in speaking with media last week, specifically calling out how far the Ravens had strayed from the defensive-minded roots that brought them glory in the first place and how little their depth pieces had developed into maintaining the perennial contender.

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It would be unfair to call Minter an unknown quantity, as his four-year run as a defensive coordinator between the Michigan Wolverines and Los Angeles Chargers speaks for itself, but he offers much more upside than any re-tread that their competitors bring aboard. They've reached 13- and 14-win heights under the Lamar Jackson-led iteration of the Ravens in the past, and have a shot at reigniting that flame in inviting that defensively-creative voice into the locker room.

McCarthy, combined with the inconsistent Cincinnati Bengals and whatever's going on with the Cleveland Browns' process for hiring interested coaching candidates, may not shake the rest of the division up in any major way. Should the Ravens continue handling the offseason with care and focus, everything could realistically come up their way this fall.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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