Tag: Chris Hewitt

Colts hire former Ravens assistant Chris Hewitt as secondary coach

Baltimore Ravens part ways with assistant head coach/pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt

The Ravens have made sweeping changes to their coaching staff. Hours after hiring Chuck Pagano as the Senior Secondary coach, the team parted ways with longtime assistant coach Chris Hewitt.

Hewitt had been on staff since 2012 and interviewed for the defensive coordinator position that went to Zach Orr last off-season.  Hewitt wasn’t unemployed long and landed with the Indianapolis Colts in a similar role.

Tom Pelissero reports that the Colts hired Hewitt as their passing game coordinator and secondary coach.

The Colts hired Lou Anarumo as their defensive coordinator after he was fired by the Bengals. They have also agreed to hire linebackers coach James Bettcher.

Hewitt just completed his 10th season leading Baltimore’s secondary, adding the assistant head coach title in 2024. He joined the Ravens as an assistant special teams coach in 2012, a post he held for two years before earning a promotion to assistant secondary coach in 2014. Hewitt has led Baltimore’s secondary since the 2015 campaign, helping the team consistently earn standout defensive rankings before this year.

The Ravens allowed 4,150 yards passing in 2024, the second time in their history that they had allowed more than 4,000 yards passing in a single season.

The Ravens’ secondary allowed 58 completions of 20 yards or more, the third-most in the NFL and the second-most by the Ravens since 2000.

Pagano will oversee a talented Ravens secondary that includes two Pro Bowl players, safety Kyle Hamilton, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, and Nate Wiggins, a 2024 first-round pick. The only starter who is an unrestricted free agent is cornerback Brandon Stephens.

Ravens part ways with assistant head coach/pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt

Baltimore Ravens part ways with assistant head coach/pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt

The Ravens are making sweeping changes to their coaching staff. Hours after hiring Chuck Pagano as the Senior Secondary coach, the team is parting ways with longtime assistant coach Chris Hewitt.

Hewitt had been on staff since 2012 and interviewed for the defensive coordinator position that went to Zach Orr last off-season.

Hewitt just completed his 10th season leading Baltimore’s secondary, adding the assistant head coach title in 2024. He joined the Ravens as an assistant special teams coach in 2012, a post he held for two years before earning a promotion to assistant secondary coach in 2014. Hewitt has led Baltimore’s secondary since the 2015 campaign, helping the team consistently earn standout defensive rankings before this year.

The Ravens allowed 4,150 yards passing in 2024, the second time in their history that they had allowed more than 4,000 yards passing in a single season.

The Ravens’ secondary allowed 58 completions of 20 yards or more, the third-most in the NFL and the second-most by the Ravens since 2000.

Pagano will oversee a talented Ravens secondary that includes two Pro Bowl players, safety Kyle Hamilton, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, and Nate Wiggins, a 2024 first-round pick. The only starter who is an unrestricted free agent is cornerback Brandon Stephens.

Ravens pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt discusses deep and versatile secondary

Ravens pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt discussed the potential packages that the team’s 2024 secondary can run

The Baltimore Ravens will have plenty of options over the course of the 2024 season when it comes to their secondary. The talented group is flushed with incredible players, especially those with key NFL experience.

When speaking to the media, Baltimore pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt discussed the potential packages that his group could possibly run. He mentioned safety Kyle Hamilton in his answer but also made sure to talk about the depth that the unit has, as he’s not expecting anything to change drastically.

“I don’t really think that it changes anything more than what we’ve been doing over the last couple [of] years, [we have] a lot more talent and a lot more depth so that we can do some things, but as far as changing this or that, I really don’t see that. Kyle [Hamilton]’s going to be who he is. He’s going to be the guy who’s a Swiss Army knife. We’re going to continue to keep on moving him around. I don’t see that changing much. But again – to what you were talking about – we do have a lot [of] more depth where we can do a little bit more, but I don’t see it changing drastically.”

Hamilton is a do-it-all player for the Ravens, and should play a massive part of what the team is trying to do on the defensive side of the ball this season. Along with the rest of the players surrounding Hamilton such as Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Williams and others, Baltimore’s secondary is expected to once again be near the top of the league in terms of both talent and production.

Ravens pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt compares Kyle Hamilton to a mythical creature

Ravens pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt compared safety Kyle Hamilton to a mythical creature

The Baltimore Ravens found a star in safety Kyle Hamilton. The team invested the 14th overall pick in the 2022 draft in him, and he has paid off in the biggest way, bringing high-level play, intensity, and energy to the field every week.

Baltimore pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt spoke to the media and was asked about Hamilton and what he brings. He compared the third-year safety to a mythical creature, calling him a unicorn that’s one-of-one.

“I think Kyle [Hamilton] is a unicorn. He’s a one of one. There are not many guys who [can] come along like that. He’s like a generational-type player. You don’t see many guys who are six-foot-four, who can run and change direction the way he does. He still plays with violence; he’s not a finesse player. He’s got it all. He’s a different player, and he is very unique. There are not many players in the league or coming into the league that I see that look like that.”

The comparison is a good one for Hamilton, who you can’t find anyone like in the league. He is the team’s Swiss army knife, and he can play almost any role on the defensive side of the ball that is asked of him while doing it at an extremely high level.

5 defensive coordinator options for new Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh

Here are a few potential candidates for the Chargers’ defensive coordinator position under Jim Harbaugh.

The Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh to be the new head coach on Wednesday.

While Los Angeles still needs to find a general manager, the next thing on the to-do list is to fill out the coaching staff. Harbaugh will make the decision on who he wants on his staff in 2024.

That said, here are five options for the team’s defensive coordinator.

Every coach reportedly connected to Jaguars’ defensive coordinator job

The Jaguars are on the hunt for a new defensive coordinator after firing Mike Caldwell earlier in January.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are on the hunt for a new person behind the wheel of their defense. After allowing at least 28 points in four of their last six games during a disastrous tailspin that ended their 2023 season, the team fired defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell.

While the team wasted no time lining up interviews, it’s also possible the Jaguars’ search for someone to fill the vacancy could take some time. As head coaching positions fill up, some of the high profile coaches who missed out on those jobs could be prime candidates to join Doug Pederson’s staff.

For now, there’s still a handful of names who have already emerged as potential defensive coordinator choices for the Jaguars.

Here’s a running list of every coach who has reportedly received interest from Jacksonville in the search for Caldwell’s replacement:

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt expresses excitement about new additions

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt expressed excitement over the new additions that the team has made

The Baltimore Ravens approached the 2022 offseason with the goal of improving their team, which they were able to do through multiple avenues. They secured multiple high-profile free agents while also having a phenomenal draft in which they selected 11 talented players.

Following one of Baltimore’s mandatory minicamp sessions, Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt was asked about how excited he was about the team’s new additions. He said that the story has yet to be written, but he’s happy with where they’re at right now.

“That story’s yet to be written. But, as of today, as we went out there on the field, I’m happy with where we are right now. But, we have a long way to go as a secondary and just putting all of those pieces together. We’ll see where we end up first game. The one thing I can say is this; when you have good players it makes you a good coach. I don’t know that there’s a good coach out there that doesn’t have good players, and we have a lot of them. So, I expect to be a good coach this year.”

Baltimore added former New Orleans Saints safety Marcus Williams and former Denver Broncos cornerback Kyle Fuller in free agency while selecting safety Kyle Hamilton as well as cornerbacks Jalyn Armour-Davis and Pepe Williams in the 2022 NFL draft. Each has the potential to contribute to the team in a different way, and as a whole the secondary looks upgraded compared to where it was last season.

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt discusses value of versatility in Baltimore’s secondary

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt discussed the value of versatility in the team’s secondary

The Baltimore Ravens value versatility in a big way on the defensive side of the ball. They have players that can line up at multiple different positions and provide value in a multitude of different roles, which opens up an incredible amount of options for what packages they can successfully run on the field.

Following one of Baltimore’s mandatory minicamp practices, Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt was asked about how much the versatility of players such as cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey, Pepe Williams and Kyle Fuller help. He talked about how that kind of interchangeability helps with disguises, as well as the flexibility that it brings.

“Well, it gives us the element of surprise. I’ve always believed in guys that are interchangeable; guys that are able to do different jobs and go out there and go play. It keeps the offense on their toes and not knowing what that particular guy is going to be doing, you can’t always find out where he’s going to be at. So, it’s going to help us as a defense, help us with our disguises. We’ll really be able to match up guys against certain players, so it’s going to give us plenty of flexibility that we’ll actually … We’ll definitely use that to our advantage.”

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt discusses what he’s seen from S Tony Jefferson II

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt talked about what he’s seen from safety Tony Jefferson II

The Baltimore Ravens have made many moves in their secondary in order ensure that the group has plenty of depth and many different contributors that can make an impact when called upon at both cornerback and safety. One of those players is safety Tony Jefferson II, who had a strong end to the 2021 season after being brought back by the team in the middle of the year.

Baltimore’s pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt spoke to the media after one of the Ravens’ mandatory minicamp practices, and was asked about what he’s seen from the veteran safety. Hewitt said that Jefferson hasn’t missed a step, and he’s happy that the former Oklahoma star is back in Baltimore.

“Tony [Jefferson II] hasn’t missed a step. Once he got back here and he was coming off the ACL [injury], he has no lingering effects from it. He looks like the Tony Jefferson that we signed whatever amount of years ago … What was that, 2017, or whatever it was? He’s still young and spry. I don’t believe – he might have just turned 30, I think. But, Tony brings a lot of energy and just like what you talk about, a lot of experience. He’s a leader, and he brings all the other guys together. [He] talks to anybody on the team, including the kicker. _(laughter)So, I’m really happy with Tony being here and we’ll see what happens going forward. But, I love having Tony around.”

Jefferson played in four games with the Ravens in 2021, but impressed in a big way. He finished with 17 tackles and one sack while also providing great run support and being solid in coverage. He also spent 2017-2019 with the team after signing a four-year contract during the 2017 offseason.

The veteran will be relied upon to be quality depth at the safety position, as well as one of the leaders on the team. He was able to earn himself another deal in Baltimore with his play in 2021, and hopefully he can build upon that during this upcoming year.

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt reveals why team wanted to add CB Kyle Fuller

Ravens pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt talked about why the team wanted to add cornerback Kyle Fuller

The Baltimore Ravens made a solid late-offseason addition by signing cornerback Kyle Fuller to a one-year contract. The veteran has a plethora of valuable NFL experience under his belt, and should be able to provide quality depth behind fellow cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters.

After the second day of mandatory minicamp, Baltimore pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt was asked about the reasons why the team wanted to add Fuller to the mix. Hewitt talked about the need for a veteran corner, and the fact that he thought Fuller was the best available player that was left at his position.

“I just think that we needed a veteran corner. With our corner problems that we had last year, you could never have too many good corners and he was available … And I thought that he was the best available guy that was left. He’s going to be a great veteran presence to help us going forward, and I think that the guy has a lot more play left in his body.”

Fuller can play both on the inside or on the outside, which is extremely important to a team like the Ravens. Baltimore values positional versatility in a big way, and Fuller can provide depth at multiple different positions while also being able to step up in the event of an unforeseen injury.