Ravens offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris was hospitalized last weekend for an acute illness, the team announced Wednesday, and he will require treatment “for an extended period of time.”
“He had a surgery early in the summer, and it came back a little bit; some complications have arisen from it,” coach John Harbaugh said. “So he’s in the hospital right now, and he’ll be focusing on his health for the next significant period of time. "
D’Alessandris, 70, has coached the Ravens’ offensive line since 2017. A beloved figure in the team facility, he’s helped steer the development of young Pro Bowl linemen including Tyler Linderbaum, Ronnie Stanley and Orlando Brown Jr., and coached standouts such as Marshal Yanda and Kevin Zeitler.
Under D’Alessandris, the Ravens have had top-10 pass-blocking and run-blocking win rates each of the past four years, according to ESPN.
This training camp, he’d been overseeing the overhaul of a line that lost three starters this offseason.
“It’s a blow because he’s a great football coach,” Harbaugh said. “He’s beloved by the players, by the coaches. He’s a top game planner. He’s a top coach. He’s a huge part of our offense. And he’s going to be missed very much, but we’re going to be much more concerned about his health and his welfare and his well-being going forward.”
Harbaugh added that D’Alessandris’s three daughters, Anna, Kelly and Emily, have come to spend time with him.
“I know he cherishes those girls,” Harbaugh said. “So it’s going to be OK.”
The Ravens this offseason hired Travelle Wharton, who last year served as the Washington Commanders’ offensive line coach, as an assistant offensive line coach. With D’Alessandris’ absence, the Ravens also have hired longtime offensive line coach George Warhop to be the head offensive line coach, although Harbaugh commended Wharton and said he will be helping Warhop. Warhop most recently served as the Houston Texans’ offensive line coach in 2022.
Harbaugh said he’s known about Warhop since they played for rival schools in college, Harbaugh at Miami (Ohio) and Warhop at Cincinnati. He joked that he knew who Warhop was but Warhop didn’t know who he was then.
Warhop also crossed over with offensive coordinator Todd Monken during their time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Harbaugh said he’s overlapped with other coaches on the Ravens’ staff. His familiarity with how Monken and the others do things should assist him as he tries to catch up with learning the systems and the personnel, Harbaugh said.
“It’s an interesting dilemma, for sure,” Harbaugh said. “It’s not something I’ve ever been associated with. I would just say, by the grace of God, George Warhop is available, a guy we’ve known for many years and respected.”
