The Baltimore Ravens were rarely ever considered an offensively-minded team, especially before the arrival of Lamar Jackson. The Ravens’ brand and ethos was built on the strong defensive play of a team that hated to be pushed around at any level.
While names have come and gone — all three head coaches in Ravens franchise history have shown the ability to hire great leaders and strategists — Baltimore’s roster has frequently been plundered by other teams around the league looking to steal some of the Ravens magic.
These five coaches are arguably the best defensive coordinators in the history of the already storied Ravens franchise. Consider that Mike McDonald, who led the Ravens to the No. 1 defense in the league before being named head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, didn’t even make the top five.
These coordinators were selected based on a combination of the following:
5. Mike Nolan (2002-2004)
Coaching is in Nolan’s blood — he’s the son of longtime NFL head coach Dick Nolan — and while he was a notable defensive coordinator with the Giants, Jets and then-Redskins throughout the 1990s, Nolan’s most decorated tenure may have been in Baltimore.
Nolan finished sixth in the league in fewest points allowed in consecutive seasons, but never ranked lower than 10th in pass or rush defense during that time. Having Ray Lewis and Ed Reed at the height of their powers helped a lot, but Nolan was able to do things his own way.
Though his tenure as the 49ers head coach ended with a dismal 18-37 record (his tenure with the Cowboys under coach Mike McCarthy was also tough), Nolan certainly knew how to build a defense at his peak.
4. Wink Martindale (2018-2022)
Martindale is one of a very select few successful NFL coaches who share the same name as a famous game show host. Martindale was a no-frills coach who played an old-school style of football based on speed, aggression and, frankly, a ton of heavy blitzes.
The Ravens ranked second, third and second in runs allowed during the 2018 and 2020 seasons, respectively. Even in their down year in 2021, Martindale boasted the best run defense in the game. Rather than pull off some brilliant scheme and drop eight men into coverage, Martindale tried to mess with the quarterback’s brain on every play.
Martindale had some success with the Giants after leaving Baltimore and eventually went to college to become the new DC at the University of Michigan. Martindale’s style of play is the football equivalent of downing Red Bull and smashing the can on your forehead, and it worked perfectly for that Ravens team.
3. Rex Ryan (2005-2008)
The bold and unapologetic Coach Ryan is best remembered as the head coach of the New York Jets, who along with Mark Sanchez appeared in back-to-back AFC Championship Games, but the son of the great Buddy Ryan also cut his teeth in the late 2000s as defensive line coach and team coordinator for the immortal 2000 Ravens.
In Ryan’s four seasons, the team finished in the top three in scoring defense twice (one time allowing the fewest runs in the league) and in the top two in rushing defense three times. Twice leading the league in interceptions, Ryan’s defenses were aggressive, intricate and ruthlessly efficient.
If you could show an alien what perfectly coached defensive football looks like, Ryan’s 2006 and 2008 seasons would be very close to it. Using the same scheme and some of the same players during his tenure as Jets coach, Ryan allowed the fewest runs and the sixth-fewest points in his first two seasons.
2. Dean Pees (2012-2017)
Peace’s six-year tenure is tied for the longest in franchise history, and he is one of just two players to help the Ravens hoist the Lombardi Trophy. After spending years coaching under Bill Belichick as the Patriots defensive coordinator, Peace is one of very few coaches to effectively carry Belichick’s schemes with him after leaving New England.
Pees put together a top-10 scoring defence three times in six years, despite overseeing the final seasons of Lewis, Reid, Haloti Ngata etc. Pees’ defence is even more impressive in hindsight, given that a poor offence regularly put them in very bad positions.
Like Brett Favre, Peace famously came out of retirement twice to coordinate defenses for Mike Vrabel and Arthur Smith in Tennessee and Atlanta, respectively. Peace is known as one of the toughest opponents to defend in NFL history, and his time with the Ravens may have been his finest.
1. Marvin Lewis (1996-2001)
Ravens fans have hated Lewis for over a decade because he was the man who transformed the Bengals from a laughing stock to a respectable team that regularly made the playoffs during his 16 seasons in Cincinnati and before that, he was a legendary coordinator in Baltimore.
Lewis, a linebackers coach under Bill Cowher, was hired by Ted Marchibroda as the Ravens’ first defensive coordinator, and while his first few seasons in Baltimore were solid, it was his performance in 2000 that cemented him as one of the best leaders and defensive minds the NFL has ever seen.
Lewis’ teams set a record for fewest points allowed in a 16-game season, holding opponents scoreless four times and allowing just one offensive touchdown in four playoff games.
Lewis put together a defense that finished second in yards allowed three straight years and ranked fourth in points allowed in 2001 following his legendary 2000 season.
The 2000 Ravens defense was worthy of winning without Lewis because they had a ton of complementary talent, but it was Lewis’ sharp football mind that led the team to success, and it will take a legendary performance to knock Lewis off the top spot now that he’s back with the NFL’s Raiders.
Rank
coach
Years with the Ravens
1
Marvin Lewis
1996-2001
2
Mike Nolan
2002-04
3
Rex Ryan
2005-08
Four
Greg Mathison
2009-10
Five
Chuck Pagano
2011
6
Dean Pees
2012-17
7
Wink Martindale
2018-21
8
Mike McDonald
2022-23
9
Zack Oh
From 2024
