2023 Baltimore Ravens awards: Coach of the Year

The 2023 Baltimore Beatdown Awards continue after our third nominees were announced on Friday for Rookie of the Year.

The Baltimore Ravens assembled an all-star coaching staff last offseason which was evidenced by how it got pillaged almost as soon as their 2023 campaign ended. They had several of their top assistants depart for elevated positions elsewhere including two for defensive coordinator positions—Anthony Weaver and Dennard Wilson, one for a position coach job after being an assistant last year—Mike Devlin, and one for a head coach vacancy—Mike Macdonald.

Baltimore Beatdown’s Rookie of the Year Candidates

Vasilis Lericos: DC Mike Macdonald

Macdonald entered his second season with a sterling reputation as a schematic wizard and parlayed an excellent season from his defense into a head coaching gig with the Seattle Seahawks. The Ravens’ defense finished first in several key statistics including points allowed, takeaways, and sacks. Macdonald pieced together a formidable pass rush with mercenary edge rushers and the league’s best pass defense while relying on unproven and journeymen cornerbacks. Furthermore, Macdonald’s unit finished on a strong note allowing just 20 total points combined in two postseason games. Nearly every healthy Baltimore defender posted a career year in 2023. Newly promoted coordinator Zach Orr will be hard-pressed to replicate Macdonald’s deceptive pressures, disguised coverages, in-game adjustments and play call sequencing next season.

Frank Platko: DC Mike Macdonald

Macdonald was an elite coordinator in 2023 and was snubbed from earning Assistant Coach of the Year honors. He orchestrated a defensive unit that dominated elite offenses throughout the season. The Ravens led the league in sacks, takeaways, and points allowed, which had never been accomplished prior in NFL history. Under Macdonald’s tutelage, numerous young players had breakout seasons and veterans experienced career-best performances as well. Macdonald maximized the team’s defensive talent to its fullest potential and consistently pushed the right buttons as a playcaller.

Stephen Bopst: DC Mike Macdonald

Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald made a name for himself in year one, overcoming some early season troubles to form one of the best defenses in the NFL. In year two, he took it to a whole new level, spearheading the league’s best defense and stifling some of the NFL’s best offenses throughout the year. As evidence, he was unfortunately picked up by the Seattle Seahawks to follow in the footsteps of Pete Carrol. Expect Macdonald’s departure to have ramifications in Baltimore in future years.

Joshua Reed: OLB Coach Chuck Smith

My colleagues all have former Ravens Defensive Coordinator and new Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Mike Macdonald as their pick for this award and justifiably so I wanted to give a shout-out to arguably the best position coach hire in franchise history. Head Coach John Harbaugh went a little outside of the box when he decided to bring in the renowned pass rush specialist and guru who was nicknamed ‘Dr. Rush’ and it paid major dividends.

While Macdonald received a lot of credit for the Ravens’ previously much-maligned pass rush over achieving and leading the league in sacks by the end of the year, Smith was the one who helped coach both the outside linebackers and interior defensive line to develop signature pass rush moves which resulted in several of them having career seasons. Under his tutelage and guidance, Justin Madubuike led the team and all interior pass rushers in the league with a career-high 13 sacks, 10-year veteran edge rushers Kyle Van Noy and Jadeveon Clowney either matched or eclipsed their previous career-high marks for sacks in a single season with 9-plus a piece, and Odafe Oweh tied his career-high in sacks with five despite missing four games with an ankle injury.