OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) - Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh has promoted linebackers coach Don Martindale to defensive coordinator, assuring a seamless transition in the wake of Dean Pees’ retirement.
Martindale has been coaching Baltimore linebackers since 2012. The 54-year-old was the defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos in 2010.
After Pees ended his six-year run as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator on Jan. 1, Harbaugh said he wanted to maintain continuity with his new hire.
“I’m a believer in this system,” Harbaugh said last week. “This system has been something that’s been developed for a long period of time, and we have worked really hard every single year to make it better.”
Martindale has been part of that process. He coached the Ravens inside linebackers from 2012-15 and spent the past two seasons as the team’s linebackers coach.
In announcing the move Tuesday, Harbaugh said Martindale’s “aggressive mentality will serve to take our defense to new levels.”
Harbaugh said Martindale “knows the ins and outs of what we have been about on defense and has been an important contributor to our success on that side of the ball.”
Also on Tuesday, Harbaugh promoted Mike Macdonald to linebackers coach and Sterling Lucas to quality control defense.
The 30-year-old Macdonald joined the Ravens in 2014 as a coaching intern on defense. He served as a defensive assistant in 2015 and 2016, and this season was the defensive backs coach. Baltimore led the NFL this season with 22 interceptions and forced a league-best 34 turnovers.
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