The Baltimore Ravens continue to reload their coaching staff with another savvy move, this time poaching a rising defensive mind from the Kansas City Chiefs. According to multiple reports, the Ravens are set to hire Chiefs safeties coach Donald D’Alesio, adding another young and promising coach to their defensive staff.
The #Ravens are hiring Donald D’Alesio as their defensive backs coach, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 13, 2025
D’Alesio spent the past four seasons with the #Chiefs and is still only 33. A bright young coach.
D’Alesio, just 33 years old, has been a fast riser in the coaching ranks. After playing safety at Youngstown State, he quickly climbed the ladder as a defensive assistant, landing a defensive coordinator role at his alma mater before making stops at LSU and Kansas City. With the Chiefs, he worked under Steve Spagnuolo, playing a key role in developing safeties like Justin Reid and Brian Cook.
Now, he’ll bring that expertise to Baltimore, where he’ll help mold a talented secondary looking to take the next step in 2025.
For the Ravens, this move isn’t just about adding another name to the coaching staff—it’s about staying competitive in an AFC loaded with elite quarterbacks. And with Baltimore set to travel to the Chiefs next season, there’s no doubt that having a former Kansas City assistant in the building could come in handy when it’s time to game plan for Patrick Mahomes.
Ravens steal Donald D’Alesio from the Kansas City Chiefs
D’Alesio’s arrival in Baltimore comes shortly after the team brought back Chuck Pagano as a senior secondary coach, setting up what should be a strong coaching tandem in the defensive backfield.
Pagano, known for his aggressive schemes and player development skills, will now have a young, rising assistant in D’Alesio working alongside him to fine-tune a secondary led by Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, and Nate Wiggins.
Hamilton, in particular, should benefit from D’Alesio’s background. The former first-round pick is coming off another successful season, racking up 107 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and nine pass breakups. Under D’Alesio’s guidance, he could take another leap forward, potentially solidifying himself as the best safety in the league.
Beyond player development, D’Alesio also brings valuable insight into how the Chiefs operate. Having spent the last four seasons going up against Andy Reid’s offense in practice, he knows first-hand what makes Mahomes and Kansas City’s attack so lethal. That’s information Baltimore could use to its advantage when the two teams meet next season in what will almost certainly be a high-stakes AFC showdown.
In a league where every small edge matters, the Ravens just made a sneaky-smart move that could pay dividends down the road.