While it was not always perfect, the LA Chargers finished the 2024 season with the No. 1 ranked scoring defense in the entire NFL. This was a big improvement from years past where Brandon Staley piloted one of the worst defenses in the league despite being a defensive-minded head coach.
Because of the team's instant turnaround on defense, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter quickly emerged as a potential head coach candidate. Minter's name was included with several other prominent candidates throughout the season because of what he accomplished in LA.
This worried Chargers fans. Losing Minter after just one year could have potentially derailed the momentum the team was building on defense. While fans still had undying faith in Jim Harbaugh, losing Minter would have been a massive setback for the team.
Thankfully, now that the dust has settled with the Chargers turning their focus to the offseason after losing in the NFL Playoffs, Minter is no longer a threat to leave the team. Despite all the head coach openings, including a surprising new opening in Dallas, Minter has not received one reported interview request this cycle.
Jesse Minter's lack of interest in NFL's hiring cycle is a blessing for the Chargers
Only one of the available jobs has been filled thus far with Mike Vrabel hired as the New England Patriots head coach. Theoretically, the Chargers are not out of the water yet, especially with a team like the Cowboys that operates unconventionally.
However, it feels pretty safe to say that if Minter hasn't received an interview request yet then it is not going to happen this offseason for the young coach. Even openings like the New Orleans Saints, which could have made sense for a young coach like Minter, no longer make sense with Mike McCarthy on the market.
Thus, Minter will be returning to the Chargers in 2025 as he looks to build on the strong foundation he established in 2024. And while the Chargers have a harder schedule next season, the team might be even better defensively as a result.
As highly as Minter was touted for several weeks at the beginning of the season, this really should not be a surprise to Chargers fans. Minter was a first-year NFL coordinator in 2024 with no real track record of success in the league.
It is hard to blame teams for being cautious of Minter without a longer track record, especially when Harbaugh receives more of the credit for changing the culture of the organization.
In a twisted way, the Chargers may have actually saved themselves with a mistake the previous regime made. Four years ago, the Chargers hired a promising young defensive coach with one year of coordinator experience under one of the best head coaches in the league.
That didn't work out for the Chargers, and while Minter is not the same as Staley, the fact it didn't work out for the Bolts may have ironically given other teams pause about Minter.