Ravens have 5 assistants make a list of 2024 head coaching candidates to watch
John Harbaugh turned a putrid special teams unit in Philadelphia into one of the NFL’s best over his almost decade tenure.
Harbaugh’s special teams with the Eagles were consistently ranked among the NFL’s best, and he was hired as the Ravens head coach in 2008.
Now, 16 years later, Harbaugh has won a Super Bowl, and he could have a good portion of his current staff develop into NFL head coaches.
Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr listed the top 65 potential NFL head coaching candidates for 2024. The Ravens had five assistant coaches on the list.
Todd Monken, offensive coordinator, Ravens
Monken served as the University of Georgia’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (2020-22), helping guide the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships (2021-22).
Monken, 57, is a coaching lifer who started his career with Southern Miss back in 1989. He has received NFL head coaching interviews in the past and has helped transform Baltimore’s offense into a more multifaceted attack. Monken was last in the pro game from 2016 to ’19, when Tampa Bay twice led the NFL in passing yards behind Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Monken spent the past three seasons at Georgia, helping lead the school to national titles in ’21 and ’22.
Mike Macdonald, defensive coordinator, Ravens
Macdonald re-joined the Ravens as defensive coordinator in 2022 after spending the 2021 season as Michigan’s defensive coordinator. Prior to his time with the Wolverines, Macdonald spent seven seasons (2014-20) in Baltimore, serving as a linebackers coach (2018-20), defensive backs coach (2017), defensive assistant (2015-16) and defensive coaching intern (2014).
He had a top two unit in 2022, and his unit is among the NFL’s best in 2023.
Macdonald is regarded as a top defensive mind. I’ve never gotten a satisfying answer as to why John Harbaugh hasn’t produced more head coaches during his time with the Ravens. The organization is regularly successful, producing both top offensive and defensive units. Macdonald, 36, worked his way up through Georgia high school football before landing a coaching internship with the Ravens in 2014. He coached at Michigan under Jim Harbaugh for one season back in ’21, a year in which the Wolverines made it to the College Football Playoff and beat NFL factory Ohio State at home.
Chris Horton, special teams coordinator, Ravens
Horton is in his fifth season leading the Ravens’ special teams group. Since joining the team in 2014, Horton has had Baltimore’s units performing among the best in the NFL. Prior to coaching, Horton played safety for three NFL seasons with Washington (2008-10) after being selected in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
My argument against that theory is to look at the Bengals. Both Brian Callahan and Lou Anarumo have remained in Cincinnati due to the ebbs and flows of a coaching cycle years after the Bengals made it to the Super Bowl. Horton’s own head coach, John Harbaugh, has had tenured offensive and defensive coordinators throughout his career. One agent who does not rep Horton called him an “amazing human.” The 38-year-old has been with the Ravens since 2014.
Zach Orr, linebackers coach, Ravens
Orr is in his second season as the Ravens’ inside linebackers coach. Prior to rejoining Baltimore, Orr spent one season (2021) as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ outside linebackers coach.
Orr has served in various roles on Baltimore’s coaching staff since he transitioned to coaching in 2016 following his retirement from the NFL, and he’s played a major role in the play of Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith.
Orr, a former NFL linebacker, is a 31-year-old assistant coach who started his career after his playing days ended in Baltimore. His three-year playing career was cut short due to neck and spinal issues. Orr also spent a year in Jacksonville as the outside linebackers coach in 2021. He bears no relation to the author.
Anthony Weaver, associate head coach and defensive line coach, Ravens
Weaver interviewed for the defensive coordinator job before the Ravens hired Mike Macdonald to fill the role. Weaver also popped up on the list of candidates when the Broncos and Vikings were looking for coordinators.
The 2021 season was Weaver’s first with the Ravens. He coached the Texans defensive line for the previous five seasons and he also served as their defensive coordinator in 2020.
“Anthony Weaver, you’re not going to find a better leader. He’s going to be a head coach very soon.” That was John Harbaugh himself at a press conference not long ago. Weaver was given a game ball this season after the Ravens beat the Texans. Watch the team react to that.
