Ravens Bring Back Former DC Chuck Pagano

As we continue to lick our wounds from that divisional loss and look for any potential slivers of good news, we got yet another last night, this one quite unexpected. The Ravens announced that they’re bringing back former defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano as Senior Secondary Coach.

We’re excited to welcome back Chuck Pagano as our Sr. Secondary Coach! pic.twitter.com/CfwatDQetI

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 29, 2025

Pagano, now 64, was the Ravens’ secondary coach from 2008-10, and the defensive coordinator in 2011. During his seasons as secondary coach, the Ravens led the NFL in interceptions with 28 in 2008, were 5th with 22 in 2009, and tied for 7th with 19 in 2010. In his lone year as defensive coordinator, Baltimore had the #3 overall defense in the NFL (#2 rushing, #4 passing), and allowed the third-fewest points in the league.

Of course, many of those interceptions (TWENTY, of course, over the three years) were by Hall of Famer Ed Reed, whom Pagano also coached at the University of Miami, where he was the defensive backs and special teams coach from 1995-2000.

We were all bummed to see Chuck leave to take the head coaching job in Indianapolis, a job he took just days after the infamous Lee Evans/Billy Cundiff loss in Foxboro (yet another Ravens choke job).

Charm City Becomes Choke City

After a battle with Leukemia interrupted much of his first season at the helm, Chuck returned to Baltimore with those Colts nearly a year later, where his squad was the victim of the Ray’s Last Ride playoff win at M&T Bank Stadium.

He would advance as far as the AFC Championship Game during his time with Indy, losing to the Patriots in 2014-15, kicking off the Deflategate scandal (which many still believe the Ravens, who’d lost to the Pats the previous week during all those eligible/ineligible receiver shenanigans – and another choke – tipped them off about).

Thanks in large part to injuries to Andrew Luck in the ensuing seasons, The Irsays fell off and Chuck Pagano was fired following the 2017 campaign. He was then hired to be the Chicago Bears defensive coordinator, where he coached Roquan Smith for two seasons from 2019-20.

@mikegesicki here you go,Mike! glad to help @Real10jayy__ pic.twitter.com/1B3qpA7tmX

— Chuck Pagano (@ChuckPaganoNFL) October 20, 2022

The Ravens continue to surround current defensive coordinator Zach Orr with great football minds. The Ravens pass defense, which improved greatly throughout the season, could still greatly benefit from creating more takeaways, especially in the postseason.

Ravens Playoff Defense Has Historically Low Takeaway Rate in Recent Years

Anything Chuck can do to help in that department will be greatly appreciated.

Welcome home, Chuck!

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