Three AFC North teams moved on from their head coaches this offseason. Notably, the one that didn't fire its coach was the team with arguably the worst option: Cincinnati.
Zac Taylor survived the onslaught of coaching changes, robbing us of a scenario where an entire division replaced its head coach. Why, though? What made the other three teams move on while the Bengals stuck with Taylor despite a disappointing season? Let's analyze these decisions, including Kevin Stefanski, John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin.
Why the Ravens fired John Harbaugh
Of the three AFC North coaches to lose their jobs this offseason, John Harbaugh is the most surprising, especially seeing as the Ravens were without Lamar Jackson for four games.
But Baltimore was only 6-7 with Jackson starting and missed the postseason for the first time since 2021. The team allowed 398 points, third-most in franchise history, and the offense scored its fewest since 2022.
Sure, Baltimore could have made some moves to shore up the defense and ran it back in 2026, but Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti apparently thought it was time for a change, saying his "instincts told [him] that this was the time" in a press conference on Tuesday. And, well...that makes sense. Harbaugh hasn't gotten the Ravens to a Super Bowl since 2012 and had just one AFC Championship Game appearance since Jackson took over at quarterback. It really might have just been time to get a different voice in the room and see if that can be the catalyst for getting Baltimore over the hump.
The Mike Tomlin era had run its course
I saw a fun post yesterday about how the Steelers hired Mike Tomlin a few months before the first iPhone came out. I also saw another post about how bad the quarterback situation has been in recent seasons that really puts what Tomlin has achieved into perspective:
One of the biggest misconceptions about Mike Tomlin that some can’t seem to understand. Since 2020, Tomlin is 60-40-1
— David Syvertsen (@Ourlads_Sy) January 13, 2026
His #1 QBs over that span?
37 and 38 year old Ben Roethlisberger
1st and 2nd year Kenny Pickett
36 year old Russell Wilson
42 year old Aaron Rodgers?
Who… https://t.co/cdYB0LK2i4
Two things feel true about the Late Tomlin Era. First, Tomlin's ability to win games with an absolutely nightmarish collection of quarterbacks is proof that he was one of the best coaches of not just his generation, but of all-time. Tomlin consistently found ways to make something out of nothing, and he was smart enough to know when to take the points and keep a game competitive rather than take unnecessary risks with an offense not built to come through on unnecessary risks.
But second, and the reason it was time to move on, is that Tomlin's ability to drag the Steelers over .500 has actually put the team in purgatory. Too good to get a top rookie quarterback. Too bad to be a serious Super Bowl contender. At some point, you can't keep trying the same thing over and over and over again, and this appears to have been that breaking point for everyone involved. Tomlin's time had run its course.
The Browns needed a reset
Harbaugh and Tomlin are good coaches, but Stefanski might be better equipped for the modern NFL than both. He's an innovative offensive mind who has won AP Coach of the Year twice, but Cleveland's gone 8-26 over the past two seasons. Sure, much of that was because this front office never gave Stefanski stability at quarterback, but it seemed pretty clear that this pairing had run its course.
Was it the right call? I guess that depends on who the Browns hire. Stefanski's offenses have struggled in recent seasons, but that feels like a personnel issue, not a coaching issue. Maybe I'm wrong, though! Maybe the Browns suddenly know what they're doing! Maybe this isn't just about making a change for the sake of making a change!
Keeping Zac Taylor shows Bengals want a re-do on 2025
The Bengals won six games in 2025. Five of those were started by Joe Burrow, who missed nine games with injury. Looking at that, it's easy to talk yourself into running it back and hoping for better injury luck.
Taylor has his flaws as a head coach, especially in-game management and his inability to win when Burrow is hurt. That second issue is especially problematic when factoring in that Burrow seems to always get hurt, missing time in two of the past three seasons.
But Cincinnati clearly feels like a change isn't needed yet. The offense plays well when Burrow is out there, so the team deciding to hold off on making a move in an offseason with a ton of head coach openings and instead trying for a do-over makes some sense. The defense was very bad this year and the decision to keep defensive coordinator Al Golden around is risky, but this front office is apparently unconcerned with wasting another year of Burrow's prime.
Which isn't to say it will be wasted, but a 2026 season that looks anything like how 2025 wound up will lead to Taylor's firing. Maybe this front office will look genius a year from now. Maybe it'll look back on a missed opportunity if it just has to fire Taylor anyway and names like Kevin Stefanski and Mike McDaniel aren't on the market. I'm not saying I like this decision, but I see where the Bengals are coming from.