LA Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter received head coaching buzz after his first year in the NFL. His inexprience ultimately kept him from being a finalist for any one job, but his success in year one made him a name to watch in the coaching cycle in 2025.
Through seven games, especially after Sunday's back-breaking loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Minter may no longer be on the short list of head coach candidates. The Chargers turned in yet another disappointing defensive performance, shifting the focus from Minter's future away from the Chargers to fixing the problems that currently exist.
It was a game that brought back painful memories of the Brandon Staley era. The Colts, led by head coach Shane Steichen, who was Justin Herbert's first offensive coordinator in the NFL, did whatever they wanted on offense. It wasn't just an ugly loss, it was a beatdown. And it changes how many are viewing Minter moving forward.
Chargers' ugly defensive performance proves Jesse Minter isn't ready to be a head coach
It's not all on Minter as the players on the field certainly could have played at a higher level. There are also holes on the Chargers' defense that Minter cannot control that the Colts' exploited. Those holes, however, could have been plugged by the front office with smarter decision-making.
While the players themselves deserve a chunk of the blame, it's hard to be high on Minter after this performance. This is the third week in a row in which the run defense looks like one of the worst in the league, which was a staple of Staley's offense. And to make matters worse, it's not like the secondary was much better.
The Chargers had a lot of success in 2024 in playing mediocre quarterbacks, whether they were back-end starters or straight-up backups who got in the game. Anytime they played a great quarterback, though, the cracks started to form.
Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield and C.J. Stroud all had huge games against the Chargers last season. Meanwhile, the Bolts cleaned up against the Aidan O'Connells, Kirk Cousins, Bryce Youngs, and Will Levis of the world.
Chargers fans needed to see the defense take that next step in 2025 after an offseason in which the team had the resources to add more talent. The defense has not taken that step, and has only confirmed the suspicions that last year's numbers may have been inflated due to subpar competition.
In a span of three short weeks, Minter went from someone firmly in the head coaching race to someone who emotional Chargers fans want to see off the coaching staff. That wouldn't solve anything, and would be a rather drastic action to take, but Minter's fall from grace is a reminder of how fickle the NFL can be.
For now, Minter's primary focus has to be getting the defense back in shape. At this point, fans cannot and should not expect another defensive performance like the one they got last season. At this rate, it would feel like a win if the Chargers were simply average.