After making the controversial decision to fire John Harbaugh, the Baltimore Ravens have backed it up during the head coach hiring cycle. They made one of the best hires this offseason, bringing in former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Since that move, Minter has been building a strong staff.
Minter added a couple of quality position coaches quickly after his hire, but questions remained about the coordinator openings. Specifically, the offensive coordinator vacancy was possibly the most sought-after coordinator spot left. That was until Friday.
The Ravens have signed former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle to call the plays on offense. At face value, it seems like a lateral move for Doyle, but he wasn’t the lead playcaller in Chicago. Those responsibilities went to head coach Ben Johnson. Now, he’ll be the offensive coordinator for one of the most talented offenses in the NFL.
The Doyle move is undoubtedly a bold one. Baltimore moves from the 59-year-old Todd Monken, who recently became the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, to the 29-year-old Doyle. Doyle becomes the youngest offensive coordinator in the league.
While it’s a daring choice to hire Doyle, many believe it was the right decision. Following the announcement, former Ravens defensive end and current ESPN analyst Marcus Spears broke down why it makes so much sense.
“I love this hire,” Spears said. “I think situational is what the Ravens needed to get better at offensively...It always seemed like when the firestorm comes, now we’ll run the ball with Derrick Henry, and we’ll become a little bit more nuanced with our run game. I look forward to seeing some of the creativity that we know is going to come over from what they were able to do in Chicago.”
Ravens’ stroke of genius has offense heading in the right direction
Everyone knows Baltimore’s bread and butter is running the football. In Doyle, they get a guy who will lean into that philosophy, while also bringing creativity that will make it even tougher on opposing defenses. That situational awareness he brings over from the Bears, though, could be an even bigger factor.
In 2025, the Ravens struggled to close out games. While much of that was the fault of the defense, Monken’s playcalling and the team’s clock management late in games played a huge role in late-game collapses. They’re on track to solve that issue with Doyle calling the shots on offense.
While Baltimore had major issues in late-game situations, Chicago seemed to thrive. They cemented themselves as the comeback kids, especially in the playoffs, showcasing a down-but-not-out mentality. It felt like no deficit was insurmountable, which is exactly what the Ravens need after a 2025 season filled with blown leads.
While Doyle certainly has a lot to prove, having not called the plays in his career and holding just seven years of NFL coaching experience, he's climbed the coaching ladder quickly for a reason. He’s learned under some of the best in Sean Payton and Ben Johnson. Now, he’ll get a shot to prove himself as one of the top young offensive minds.