The Baltimore Ravens are turning the keys of their offense over to a 29-year-old play-caller — Declan Doyle — in a move that says as much about the team’s ambition as it does about their patience with a good-but-not-great 2025 attack. Doyle arrives from the Chicago Bears in what is a lateral job title, but a major shift in power: he will call plays for new head coach Jesse Minter.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the hire, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter added the why: Doyle can leave Chicago because Baltimore is giving him the headset and the freedom that comes with it. He interviewed in Baltimore on Friday, and by the weekend the Ravens had their man — and their voice in the quarterback’s ear.

This is not only about a new OC. It’s about intent. Minter, who called Doyle “a connector and an innovator, and a scheme builder around the best player in the world,” is being clear: the Ravens want a fresh design centered on their two-time MVP, Lamar Jackson. After a season that finished 11th in points and 16th in yards, Baltimore expects more.

A bold shift: play-calling changes hands

Doyle leaves after one year as the Bears’ offensive coordinator under Ben Johnson, who handled play-calling in Chicago. In Baltimore, Doyle steps into a bigger spotlight. The title is the same; the job is not. He’ll be the voice, the rhythm, and the answers on third-and-7.

That kind of leap doesn’t happen by accident. The Ravens’ decision echoes Schefter’s framing: this is about calling plays. It is also about fit. With Minter in his first season as head coach, Baltimore pairs a defensive-minded leader with a young offensive architect who can grow with the roster — and with Jackson.

“If you’re giving the headset to a 29-year-old, you’re betting on ideas, not a résumé.”

Who is Declan Doyle? From Payton’s tree to Chicago’s surge

Doyle is not a household name, but his path hits major touchpoints. He broke into the NFL with the New Orleans Saints (2019–2022) as an offensive assistant under Sean Payton and then Dennis Allen. He followed Payton to Denver as tight ends coach in 2023 and 2024, before being hired by Chicago on January 28, 2025, as the youngest offensive coordinator in the league at 28.

His year in Chicago matters. With Johnson calling plays, Doyle focused on game plans and film study. The Bears climbed from the NFL’s worst offense in 2024 to No. 6 in 2025, averaging 26.0 points per game (9th) after 18.2 the year before (28th). That is a dramatic rise, and while the credit is shared, Doyle had a front-row seat to how a modern, adaptable system is built.

Across his stops, teams Doyle worked on compiled a 70-47 record (59.83%) and went 2-4 in the postseason, including Chicago’s 11-6 season (1-1 in playoffs) in 2025. Those are team marks, not solo achievements, but they show he’s lived in winning buildings and under demanding play-callers.

Why the Ravens moved: fixing a good-not-great offense

Baltimore’s offense last year wasn’t broken, but it wasn’t scaring elite defenses. The numbers tell the story: 11th in points, 16th in yards. Lamar Jackson averaged 196.1 passing yards per game with 21 touchdown passes — his fewest since 2022. For a two-time MVP, that’s a downbeat line.

So the Ravens acted. They did not chase a famous name. They targeted a builder. Minter’s comment — “a scheme builder around the best player in the world” — points right at Jackson. It also hints at what the Ravens want: clearer answers in the pass game without losing the threat of Lamar’s legs.

“Year 9 for Lamar, OC No. 4 — it’s time to find the one that sticks.”

The Lamar fit: connection, structure, and speed of answers

Doyle is the same age as Jackson. That can help. Communication is simpler when language and references match. Expect Doyle to emphasize fast, clean answers for the quarterback: clearer pre-snap tells, defined throws on early downs, and option layers that punish defenses for overplaying the run.

Because he learned under Sean Payton, it’s fair to expect strong tight end usage, flexible formations, and detailed situational planning. From Chicago and Ben Johnson, he brings exposure to motion, bunches, and route combinations that create layups. The Ravens don’t need to copy either system; they need to blend those ideas with what makes Lamar special.

What the numbers say — and what must change

• Ravens in 2025: 11th in points, 16th in yards
• Lamar Jackson: 196.1 pass yards per game, 21 TD passes
• Bears in 2025: 26.0 PPG (9th), climbed to No. 6 offense after being last in 2024

The headline is simple: Baltimore scored enough to win 2025 games, but they didn’t maximize their MVP. Doyle’s play-calling must lift the early-down pass game, tighten red-zone sequencing, and add explosive pass plays without turnovers. If Baltimore can add even one more explosive pass per game while keeping its run identity, the offense’s ceiling jumps fast.

“Give Lamar answers, not hero ball. That’s the assignment.”

Risks, reality, and what success looks like

This is a risk. Doyle has never called plays on Sundays. The Ravens are handing game-day control to a first-time play-caller in a win-now window. But Baltimore’s bet is clear: fresh design and faster adjustments can unlock more from the same core.

What does success look like? Top 10 in points and yards. A bump in Lamar’s touchdown passes. Cleaner two-minute drives. And postseason answers against elite defenses — the kind that stalled Baltimore in recent years.

Timeline and context: a fast courtship

Doyle interviewed in Baltimore on Friday, and the hiring moved quickly. Pelissero first reported the news. Schefter explained the key detail: Doyle could leave the Bears because Baltimore offered play-calling. That is the difference-maker here. It’s a lateral title that functions like a promotion.

It also completes a staff picture for Minter, who now pairs his defensive vision with an offensive voice he explicitly wanted. Minter’s profile — clear communicator, big-picture builder — lines up with Doyle’s role as the day-to-day driver of the attack.

Final word

The Ravens didn’t chase a headline. They chose a direction. Declan Doyle is young, trained in two modern systems, and stepping into the biggest job of his life with one of the sport’s most dynamic quarterbacks. If he can be the “connector and innovator” Minter described, Baltimore’s 2026 offense will look faster, clearer, and more dangerous.

Now it’s about Sundays — and a 29-year-old voice in the headset that aims to make the game simple for the most gifted player on the field.