No matter where one looks, former Baltimore Ravens coaches are everywhere. Not just in the NFL, but in the college ranks as well.
In fact, one of said coaches recently rose to stardom at the collegiate level, and now could look to return to the NFL.
Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock, the Ravens' running backs coach from 2014-18, led his team to the biggest win in program history and the biggest upset of the college football season, defeating then-No. 5 Notre Dame 16-14 on Sept. 7. With Notre Dame winning 13-straight games afterwards until Monday's national championship game against Ohio State, that upset looked more and more miraculous every single week.
That win vaulted Hammock into coaching stardom, and could serve as a springboard back to the NFL.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, at least three teams have reached out to hammock to gauge interest for positions as a running backs coach or run-game coordinator.
Hammock is under contract at Northern Illinois through the 2026 season, though he reportedly makes just over $700,000 a year, making him one of the lowest-paid head coaches in the country. If an NFL team were to hire him, it wouldn't cost too much to give him a sizable raise.
In six seasons at his alma mater, Hammock has a 32-38 record, though he has posted winning records in three of the past four seasons, including a MAC title in 2021.
When Hammock was hired at Northern Illinois, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh heaped praise upon him. Now that Hammock is on the market again, he could be a valuable member to another team's staff.
“He’s a tremendous coach, great leader and great developer of players,” Harbaugh said. “He’s a smart game planner, a hard-nosed disciplinarian but a player’s coach at the same time. He relates to his guys really well. He’s been a big part of our success.”
