Rams' Chris Shula, Chargers' Jesse Minter listed as favorites to be next Baltimore Ravens head coach after John Harbaugh’s firing

LOS ANGELES — Black Monday turned into Black Tuesday for the Baltimore Ravens as the franchise announced the firing of head coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons on the job, with oddsmakers now pinning defensive coordinators Chris Shula of the Los Angeles Rams and Jesse Minter of the Los Angeles Chargers as the early favorites to succeed him.

Harbaugh’s departure came one day after the Ravens’ regular-season finale, a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that eliminated Baltimore from postseason contention. The result left few surprises inside the building on Tuesday, as the team moved quickly to begin a new era of leadership after nearly two decades under one of the NFL’s longest-tenured coaches.

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Harbaugh’s tenure was highlighted by consistent success, including 12 playoff appearances and a Super Bowl victory over brother Jim Harbaugh’s San Francisco 49ers in the 2013 season. But back-to-back seasons without a playoff win and mounting fan frustration ultimately led to the franchise parting ways with its most succesful head coach.

With the head-coaching vacancy now official, oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag have installed Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula as the early favorite at 3-1, followed closely by Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter at 7-2 (+350) on the Ravens’ next head coach futures board.

Shula, the grandson of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula, has drawn attention for his work revitalizing the Rams’ defense and his strong NFL pedigree. Minter, 36, has impressed in his first season overseeing the Chargers’ defense, earning accolades for scheme versatility and player development.

Here’s a look at the early odds for the next Baltimore Ravens head coach (via BetOnline.ag):

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• Chris Shula — 3/1

• Jesse Minter — 7/2

• Kliff Kingsbury — 5/1

• Brian Flores — 7/1

• Kevin Stefanski — 7/1

• Klint Kubiak — 9/1

• Jim Schwartz — 10/1

• Robert Saleh — 12/1

• Mike McCarthy — 12/1

• Mike LaFleur — 16/1

• Steve Spagnuolo — 18/1

• Anthony Weaver — 20/1

• Matt Nagy — 20/1

• Vance Joseph — 20/1

• Jeff Hafley — 25/1

• Joe Brady — 25/1

• Anthony Campanile — 25/1

• Vic Fangio — 25/1

• Arthur Smith — 25/1

• Kevin O’Connell — 33/1

• Marcus Freeman — 33/1

• Josh McDaniels — 33/1

• Greg Roman — 40/1

• David Shaw — 40/1

• Jon Gruden — 50/1

• Jason Garrett — 66/1

• Deion Sanders — 66/1

• Marvin Lewis — 66/1

• Bill Belichick — 66/1

The Ravens, who went 8-9 this season, now begin the process of vetting candidates and preparing for interviews as they aim to find a successor who can return the franchise to consistent playoff contention. With coordinators Shula and Minter leading the futures market, Baltimore’s search already carries strong early narratives on both sides of the ball.