The Baltimore Ravens don’t just build great defenses—they build great defensive coaches. The proof? The Athletic’s latest NFL 50 Under 40 list featured both current Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr (32) and former DC-turned-Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald (37) as two of the brightest young minds in the game.
For a franchise that’s long prided itself on defensive dominance, this is nothing new. Just look at their history. From Dean Pees orchestrating a Super Bowl-winning unit in 2012 to Wink Martindale’s aggressive blitz-heavy defenses to Macdonald’s rise as one of the most innovative defensive play-callers in the NFL, Baltimore has been a proving ground for elite defensive coordinators. Now, Orr is proving he belongs in that conversation.
The Ravens’ defense had to navigate some serious turnover in 2024, losing Macdonald to Seattle and multiple key assistants. But instead of falling off, Orr stepped in and got the unit firing on all cylinders by season’s end. Now, he's getting national recognition for his work, and it’s only a matter of time before other teams start circling him as a future head coach.
Zach Orr is the next big thing in coaching
The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue and Mike Jones summed up Orr’s impact perfectly:
"The departure of Mike Macdonald to Seattle put Orr in the spotlight as the Ravens’ new defensive coordinator in 2024. Less discussed? The Ravens also lost multiple position coaches, including Anthony Weaver and Dennard Wilson and Orr’s job was to smooth over those significant gaps within a scheme known for its complexity to newcomers.
"Orr, a former Ravens linebacker, kept fiddling with position changes and adjustments while growing with his new assistants — and the defense markedly improved down the backstretch of the season."
That last part is crucial. The Ravens' defense started the year with some growing pains, but by the time it mattered, they were one of the league’s best units. Baltimore finished the season ranked in the top five in multiple defensive categories, including rushing yards allowed and sacks.
Orr’s rise is just the latest in a long line of Ravens defensive coordinators who have gone on to bigger roles and sustained success:
- Chuck Pagano (2011) – Became head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.
- Dean Pees (2012-2017) – Led a Super Bowl-winning defense before later coordinating Tennessee’s defense.
- Don "Wink" Martindale (2018-2021) – Ran an elite pressure-heavy defense before taking the Giants DC job.
- Mike Macdonald (2022-2023) – Transformed Baltimore’s defense and became the youngest head coach in the NFL with the Seahawks.
- Now, Zach Orr is next in line.
If the Ravens' defense dominates again in 2025, don’t be surprised if Orr follows in Macdonald’s footsteps and gets head coach interviews. It'd be an absolutely major blow to the team, but if one thing is certain, it's that John Harbaugh will have someone else capable waiting in the wings. Who knows, maybe he'll even take over for Harbaugh and spearhead the next great Ravens teams moving forward.