A familiar face is returning to the Ravens’ coaching staff for the 2025 season.
Former defensive coordinator and ex-Indianapolis head coach Chuck Pagano has agreed to become Baltimore’s senior secondary coach, which will mark his second stint on head coach John Harbaugh’s staff. Before announcing his retirement from coaching in 2021, the 64-year-old last served as Chicago’s defensive coordinator from 2019-20, meaning he worked with inside linebacker Roquan Smith when the three-time Pro Bowl selection played for the Bears.
“It is exciting to add coach Chuck Pagano to our defensive staff and continue to develop and grow our young and talented secondary,” Harbaugh said in a statement released by the team. “Chuck brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and coaching talent to our team. He has deep ties to the program and is excited to get to work.”
Part of Harbaugh’s original staff in Baltimore, Pagano served as secondary coach from 2008-10 and was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2011 before being hired by the Colts to become their head coach. Pagano was with Indianapolis from 2012-17 and led the Colts to three playoff appearances, which included a trip to the 2014 AFC championship game.
With Harbaugh saying last week that senior advisor Dean Pees, 75, is unlikely to return in a full-time role next season, Pagano brings another experienced voice for second-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr. Under pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt and first-year secondary coach Doug Mallory, Baltimore’s pass defense struggled immensely over the first half of 2024 before veteran safeties Marcus Williams and Eddie Jackson were benched and Kyle Hamilton and Ar’Darius Washington moved to deep safety spots.
In Pagano’s lone season as coordinator in 2011, a Ravens defense that included Hall of Famers Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, NFL Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs, and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata finished third in points allowed and yards allowed, second in rushing yards allowed, fourth in passing yards allowed, third in sacks, and 13th in takeaways. Pagano was very popular with Baltimore players and shared a close relationship with Reed, whom he also coached at the University of Miami.
