Chargers Coordinator Receives Interview Requests Before Playoff Game Vs. Patriots

A Los Angeles Chargers staffer could audition for a new job against the New England Patriots on Sunday night.

Drake Maye will face one of his toughest tests of the season when the Patriots face the Chargers’ fifth-ranked defense in the first-round playoff matchup. Josh McDaniels will lead his offense into Gillette Stadium against a defensive guru garnering head coaching interest.

Two teams have submitted requests to interview Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter for their head-coaching vacancies. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Titans asked the Chargers to speak to him, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler was among several reporters to say the Cleveland Browns also submitted an interview request on Friday.

Minter spent four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens before joining John Harbaugh’s brother, Jim Harbaugh, at Michigan in 2022. He spearheaded a unit that allowed 10.4 points per game during an undefeated season that ended with a national championship.

Minter then followed Jim Harbaugh to the Chargers, who ceded an NFL-low 17.7 points per game in 2024. They allowed 20.0 points per game this season, ranking fifth against the pass and eighth versus the run.

The 42-year-old could land his first head coaching opportunity. Fixing the Titans would pose a steep challenge, as they’ve gone 3-14 in back-to-back seasons and finished 28th in scoring defense in 2025.

The Browns have made two playoff appearances in the last 23 years, but Myles Garrett headlines a stout defense that ranked right ahead of the Chargers this season. They fired head coach Kevin Stefanski after going 5-12.