Baltimore Ravens hire Jim Caldwell as quarterbacks coach
The Baltimore Ravens have announced that they have hired Jim Caldwell, the former Indianapolis Colts head coach, to be their quarterbacks coach. Caldwell was fired after Indianapolis only won two games in the regular season. Here is the Ravens complete press release with the information.
The Baltimore Ravens have hired Jim Caldwell as their quarterbacks coach, head coach John Harbaugh announced Monday afternoon.
Caldwell, 57, is an 11-year NFL coaching veteran who spent the past 10 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. From 2009-11, he served as the franchise’s head coach, guiding the Colts to a 26-22 record in three seasons. Under his leadership, Indianapolis won two AFC South titles (2009-10) and earned an appearance in Super Bowl XLIV. In leading the Colts to the Super Bowl that season, Caldwell became just the fifth rookie coach in NFL history to reach the championship game.
“After spending considerable time with Jim over the last week, we think he will be an excellent fit with our team, coaching the quarterbacks and helping with our offense,” Harbaugh stated. “We believe he enhances our staff. Jim has a tremendous history coaching at the college and pro level, especially working with quarterbacks and providing help with offenses. The timing is right to add a quarterbacks coach after Cam [Cameron] and Joe [Flacco] worked so closely and well together this year. It’s the right step for us now.”
Prior to his time as the Colts’ head coach, Caldwell helped guide quarterback Peyton Manning to three of his four NFL MVP awards, serving as quarterbacks coach from 2002-08. During that seven-season span, Manning produced NFL highs in completions (2,482), completion percentage (66.5), passing yards (29,210), passing touchdowns (222) and passer rating (100.5).
During Indy’s 12-4 campaign in 2004, Manning threw for a career-high 49 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions, setting a single-season personal-best 121.1 QB rating (also the second-best mark in NFL history – Aaron Rodgers, 122.5, 2011).
“I am really excited to work with Coach Harbaugh, Cam and the rest of the coaching staff,” Caldwell said. “It’s a great fit for me, and I’m happy they saw it that way. I can’t wait to get started with the Ravens, an organization that from top to bottom is one of the NFL’s best. I’m looking forward to coming to Baltimore.”
Caldwell’s initial head coaching job came at Wake Forest (1993-2000), where he was the first African-American head coach in ACC history. He also has NFL coaching experience with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2001, quarterbacks) and collegiate experience with Penn State, Louisville, Colorado, Northwestern, Southern Illinois and Iowa.
A graduate (English literature) of the University of Iowa, Caldwell was a four-year starter as a defensive back from 1973-76. He served as a graduate assistant on the Hawkeyes’ staff in 1977. Born Jan. 16, 1955 in Beloit, Wis., he and his wife, Cheryl, have four children: Jimmy, Jermaine, Jared and Natalie.
CALDWELL COACHING BACKGROUND
Years College/Pro Team Position
1977 Iowa Graduate Assistant
1978-79 Southern Illinois Defensive Backs
1980 Southern Illinois Defensive Coordinator
1981 Northwestern Defensive Backs
1982-83 Colorado Outside Linebackers
1984 Colorado Quarterbacks & Wide Receivers
1985 Louisville Defensive Backs
1986 Penn State Wide Receivers
1987-90 Penn State Quarterbacks & Wide Receivers
1991-92 Penn State Quarterbacks/Passing Coordinator
1993-2000 Wake Forest Head Coach
2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterbacks
2002-06 Indianapolis Colts Quarterbacks
2007-08 Indianapolis Colts Quarterbacks/Asst. Head Coach
2009-11 Indianapolis Colts Head Coach
