Baltimore Ravens Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees Retires
By Ben Palmer
Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees has reportedly informed the team of his plans to retire. Pees has been with the Ravens since 2010.
Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees has reportedly informed the team of his plans to retire, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports on Twitter.
Following their heartbreaking loss to the Cincinnati Bengals this past Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens are now eliminated from the NFL playoffs for the second year in a row. On top of all of that, they now have to find a new defensive coordinator.
Pees started his NFL coaching career in 2004 as the linebackers coach for the New England Patriots. By 2006, he was promoted to defensive coordinator for the team, a position he served in through the 2009 season. During his time in New England, Pees led a Patriots defense that was the only NFL team to finish in the top-10 in scoring defense for four consecutive seasons.
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In 2010, he joined the Baltimore Ravens as the team’s linebackers coach, and shortly before the Ravens’ played in (and won) Super Bowl XLVII, Pees was promoted to defensive coordinator.
Pees led the Baltimore Ravens defense to solid numbers this past season. Here’s how the team finished the year on defense:
- Total yards allowed: 12th
- Total passing yards allowed: 10th
- Total rushing yards allowed: 15th
- Points allowed per game: 6th
“His fingerprints are all across this defense,” cornerback Brandon Carr told the Baltimore Sun. “Just the years that he’s been here, you’ve seen the shutouts and big-game defenses that we’ve had from his play-calling. So without him, moving forward, if it happens that way, we’re going to miss him. But at the same time, it’s going to be time for the next person to step up, that next signal caller for the Ravens defense to go out here and call some plays for us.”
The Ravens haven’t announced yet who will be replacing Pees, and they likely won’t for a while, but Rapoport also reports that Pees’ heir apparent is current linebackers coach Don “Wink” Martindale.
There are other interesting options, however, including two former members of the Baltimore Ravens coaching staff that are now looking for jobs. Chuck Pagano, who was the Ravens’ secondary coach from 2008 to 2010 and defensive coordinator in 2011, was recently fired by the Indianapolis Colts.
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Also, Jack Del Rio, who was the Ravens’ linebackers coach from 1999 to 2001, and was the Denver Broncos’ defensive coordinator from 2012 to 2014, was recently fired by the Oakland Raiders. Either Pagano or Del Rio could make for interesting options at the defensive coordinator position.