It only took a matter of hours for the Pittsburgh Steelers to start scheduling interviews for their vacant head coaching spot after Mike Tomlin elected to step down. On Wednesday, news broke that the Steelers requested to bring in Rams' coaches Nate Scheelhaase and Chris Shula for interviews.
This was quickly followed by news that Pittsburgh was set to visit with Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and Vikings DC Brian Flores.
Now the latest head coaching interview might be just what fans hoped for.
Just hours after their first interview request, we learned that the Steelers have requested to bring in Jesse Minter to interview for the head coaching job, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Minter spent the past two seasons as the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Chargers. In 2025, he led his team to a top-ten defense.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could find the next great defensive mind with head coach candidate Jesse Minter
Minter checks nearly every box the Steelers have looked for historically in a head coach. At 42 years old, Minter has experience as a defensive coordinator, while spending four years as a defensive assistant and defensive backs coach for the Baltimore Ravens. Before that, Minter spent nearly a decade on college football coaching staffs.
What's most encouraging about Minter is the excellent results he's already produced after just two years as a defensive coordinator in the NFL. Minter led his unit to a pair of top 12 finishes. In 2025. Minter's defense allowed just 19.8 points per game (8th), 290.6 yards per game (7th), and 5.1 yards per play (12th).
Minter's defense also ranked 10th in DVOA and 6th in EPA per play. The best part is that he was able to produce excellent results without elite talent. Even 30-year-old ex-Steelers cornerback Donte Jackson had arguably the best season of his career under Minter in 2025.
Minter has drawn plenty of interest from other NFL teams early in the head coaching interview process, including the Baltimore Ravens (who are looking for someone to replace John Harbaugh).
With an excellent combination of youth, coaching experience, and results—combined with a fiery defensive-minded presence—Jesse Minter checks nearly every box the Pittsburgh Steelers look for. The Chargers' DC feels like a strong candidate for the job, and one that Steelers fans would be happy with.