The Chargers have found their replacement for Jesse Minter. Western Michigan defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary has accepted the same position on Jim Harbaugh‘s staff, per a team announcement.
O’Leary, 34, previously worked under Harbaugh and Minter as the Chargers’ safeties coach in 2024. As Western Michigan’s defensive coordinator, he took the nation’s 107th-ranked defense and built them into a top-10 unit in just one season. After a year of play-calling experience, O’Leary will return to Los Angeles hoping to fill Minter’s shoes after he took a head coaching job with the Ravens.
O’Leary’s recent experience with the Chargers should make for an easy transition into his new role. He will run a similar scheme to Minter and is already familiar with the roster and coaching staff. The latter may not require much turnover with such a plug-and-play hire, though the team’s defensive assistants who did not get this promotion may get defensive coordinator offers from other teams.
Though O’Leary will be working under Harbaugh, his coaching lineage is closer to his predecessor’s. Minter and O’Leary have a long history together, starting at Indiana State. The two overlapped for three years (2010-2012) with Minter serving as the Sycamores’ defensive coordinator and O’Leary playing wide receiver. Minter became Georgia State’s defensive coordinator in 2013 and, two years later, gave O’Leary his first coaching job as a graduate assistant.
They parted ways in 2017 with Minter heading to Baltimore for his first stint with the Ravens and O’Leary joining Brian Kelly‘s staff at Notre Dame. After Marcus Freeman took over as the Fighting Irish’s defensive coordinator, O’Leary was promoted to safeties coach, where he worked closely with pass game coordinator Mike Mickens. (Mickens recently agreed to join Minter’s staff in Baltimore in the same role.)
Minter then brought O’Leary to Los Angeles. He worked closely with Derwin James, taking the already-versatile safety and moving him around the field more than ever before. The 2024 season represented somewhat of a resurgence for five-time Pro Bowler after a down year in 2023, at least by his usual standards. With more time closer to the line of scrimmage, James led all defensive backs with 5.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss, both career-highs. He also broke up seven passes and allowed just 5.2 yards per target. James stayed in a similar role in 2025 and had another strong season, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro recognition for the second year in a row.
O’Leary will be looking to uphold the standard he helped established in 2024. The Chargers have been one of the best defenses in the league in the last two years, allowing just under 19 points and just over 300 yards per game. They have a number of key pending free agents and may not have enough cap room to retain them all, especially if they invest in their offensive line as expected. Minter had a knack for getting the most out of his players – youngsters and veterans alike – and O’Leary’s impressive year at Western Michigan suggests that he may have similar talents.
The only potential knock on O’Leary is his inexperience. 2024 was his first year in the NFL, and 2025 was his first as a play-caller, making 2026 a big leap for a third year in a row. He passed the first two tests with flying colors, so he certainly seems capable of running the Chargers’ defense, but there may still be some first-year jitters as O’Leary settles into the role.