“Joe is one of the most respected player evaluators and personnel minds in the league whose contributions to the Ravens front office over the past two decades cannot be overstated,” said Chargers president of football operations, John Spanos, via the team’s website. “When you consider his football IQ, eye for talent, ability to think both short and long term as it pertains to roster construction, organization, thoroughness and ability to be creative within the confines of our collective bargaining agreement, it’s hard not to be excited about the future. Factor in his experience working with two of the best in the business in Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta and the consistency of performance that their teams have achieved, Joe is without a doubt the right person to help Coach Harbaugh and his staff build a team that will make Chargers fans proud.”
Hortiz has spent the last 26 years with the Ravens, rising through the ranks of low-level scout all the way to his current position, which he has held since 2019. Hortiz received a firsthand education in building championship-caliber rosters under both former Ravens general manager and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome, and his successor, current Ravens GM Eric DeCosta, serving on a personnel staff that has produced two Super Bowl champions (2000 and 2012) and seven AFC North titles since 2003.