Steelers Join Competition for Chargers DC

What Stands Out About Minter?

Minter is 42 years old and viewed around the league as a head coach in waiting. Part of this impressive group of coaches interviewing around the NFL, Minter stands out for his ability to get his defenses to a level of controlled chaos.

Just a few years ago, he was the defensive coordinator for the University of Michigan, where he helped coach that team to a National Title. Working under Jim Harbaugh, he followed him to Los Angeles, and it’s no surprise that the Chargers defense has continued to improve since this staff took over.

During the regular season, the Chargers were a fearsome group once again. With two elite pass rushers and a physical overall defensive unit, Los Angeles allowed the fifth-fewest yards per game and created the eighth-most turnovers.

Coming From an Impressive Coaching Tree

What also makes Minter so impressive is who has he learned under. Since arriving at Michigan, he’s working for Jim Harbaugh, and their success is well-known. That type of experience and lessons learned is invaluable to a rising coach, and highly valuable to the Steelers in their coaching evaluation. Owner Art Rooney II said himself that being a leader is the number one priority when selecting their next head coach, and Minter embodies the values of leadership that have defined the franchise.

Football Family

The Steelers love a coach or player that comes from football genetics, and Minter is no exception. Jesse’s father is an accomplished coach in his own right. Since 1977, Rick Minter has been a coach or scout at the NCAA and NFL level. He was the head coach at the University of Cincinnati for just under a decade between 1994 and 2003, and he currently serves as a senior defensive analyst with the Chargers. That family tie might be a leg up for Minter as he tries to impress Steelers ownership.