The Baltimore Ravens have officially made a coaching move that directly affects quarterback Lamar Jackson. Head coach Jesse Minter’s arrival brought a couple of shake-ups, and the quarterbacks coach position was one of them. The offense didn’t exactly rank among the top, but it had proven playmakers. Now, Minter has hired a young offensive mind to fix the gaps and guide the QB who’s been reeling from more than one injury.

“Cardinals QB coach Israel Woolfork now will be the QB coach for the Ravens, per source,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted on X. “Woolfork interviewed for the Tampa OC job and also was blocked several times from other openings before being allowed to pursue other opportunities that resulted in him landing in Baltimore.”

The Arizona Cardinals’ reluctance to let Israel Woolfork walk away says a lot about his impact on the team. And according to NFL rules, a franchise can only block lateral moves and not promotions. So, it clearly states that they were trying to keep him around for as long as possible. Now, Woolfork joins Baltimore to serve as a QB coach under the leadership of Minter and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. 

At age 36, Woolfork has spent over a decade coaching at various offensive positions. These include assistant, running backs coach, wide receivers coach, and quarterbacks coach. A former wide receiver from Grand Valley State, he kick-started his coaching journey in 2013 with the Miami RedHawks football programme. 

In 2021, he left to work with the Cleveland Browns through the league’s Bill Walsh NFL diversity coaching fellowship program. He worked with Drew Petzing, who recently joined the Detroit Lions as offensive coordinator. Further, they both moved to the Cardinals, with Woolfork taking on the QB coach for the very first time. Under him, the team’s passing ranked 11th in the league with 214.1 yards per game.

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And now, the major task of bringing Lamar Jackson back into shape rests on his shoulders. In 2025, the two-time MVP sustained a series of health scares. These included a back contusion and issues in the hamstring, knee, and toe. Moreover, Woolfork will get a rare chance to mentor a 31-year-old running back who continues to defy his age with his elite production.

This past season, he piled up 1,595 rushing yards (second in the NFL) and sixteen touchdowns. Meanwhile, Woolfork’s appointment as a quarterbacks coach comes shortly after a surprising offensive decision by the Ravens’ new leadership.

Minter’s new coaching hire raises concerns for Lamar Jackson

Under rookie head coach Jesse Minter, the team replaced longtime quarterbacks coach Tee Martin with Declan Doyle on Wednesday. Martin was not only a key offensive mind but also a trusted ally of Lamar Jackson. The duo developed a close bond over the past three seasons when Martin transitioned from wide receivers coach to the QB-focused role. And many reporters and analysts echoed that sentiment recently.

“Sources: The Ravens will not retain QBs coach Tee Martin under the new coaching staff,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on X. “A massive change as the well-respected Martin has been in Baltimore since 2021 — and is one of the people closest to Lamar Jackson within the organization.” 

In his five-season stint with Baltimore, Martin powered the offense. He helped shape wide receivers such as Marquise Brown and Rashod Bateman. At quarterback, he improved Jackson’s passing game, guiding him through his second MVP season in 2023. And this kind of impact is sparking questions about how Martin’s departure might affect Jackson, whose production took a hit in 2025.

Moving forward, Martin will likely attract a potential suitor on the back of his powerful resume. He first gained prominence as the starting quarterback at the University of Tennessee. The NFL came calling in 2000, and he made his debut with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After playing seven seasons of professional football in multiple leagues, he started coaching in 2006.

He spent the next 16 years of his career in college football, moving among many franchises. These include Kentucky, Morehouse, USC, and Tennessee, among others. In 2021, he joined Lamar Jackson’s team and stayed until recently. While Martin looks for a new job, the Ravens are betting on a change to finish stronger next season.