Some saw the Baltimore Ravens' decision to fire John Harbaugh coming, but I, personally, did not expect it. Sure, this season was a rough one, and the Ravens have come up small in big games in recent years, but Harbaugh has established himself as one of the best head coaches of his generation. Letting a guy who has accomplished as much as he has out of your building is easier said than done, and a massive risk to take.
Whether they should've pulled the trigger or not, what's done is done, and now, NFL fans have to patiently wait to find out where Harbaugh will end up. He figures to receive interest from six of the seven teams with head coaching vacancies (Ravens are the only exception), but Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report said that several teams with head coaches currently under contract will express interest as well. Which teams should be willing to fire their current head coach if the chance to hire Harbaugh comes about? The answer to that is down below.
Easy no
Chicago Bears
Ben Johnson has been nothing short of a revelation with the Chicago Bears, leading them to an NFC North title in his first season as a head coach. Harbaugh is more proven, but Johnson looks like an elite coach already, and figures to be in Chicago for a very long time.
Denver Broncos
Sean Payton has been a head coach as many seasons as Harbaugh has, and after a rough first season with the Denver Broncos, he's led them to back-to-back playoff appearances, even earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC this season. The Broncos have as good a chance as any team to win the Super Bowl, and Payton has everything to do with that. He isn't and shouldn't go anywhere.
Detroit Lions
Yes, 2025 was a season to forget for the Detroit Lions, but the Lions have gone from laughing stock to consistent playoff contender under Dan Campbell. It'll take more than one underwhelming season (one that still saw them finish above .500) for the Lions to even think about replacing Campbell.
Green Bay Packers
Matt LaFleur has been the Green Bay Packers' head coach for seven seasons, and he's guided them to the playoffs in six of them. They've lacked postseason success, but LaFleur is one of the brightest offensive minds, and guiding a team to the playoffs annually is really hard to do.
Houston Texans
Speaking of consistent playoff teams, DeMeco Ryans has been the Houston Texans' head coach for three seasons and has led them to the playoffs in each of those years. After a rough start to this season, the Texans stormed their way to the postseason, winning nine straight and 12 of 14, led by their elite defense. Ryans, a defensive-minded head coach, is getting the most out of his squad, and shouldn't go anywhere.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Liam Coen was one of the most sought-after head coaches of last year's cycle, and this season shows why. The Jacksonville Jaguars won the AFC South, going 13-4 and winning their last eight games. It would not be surprising to see them go on a deep postseason run. Bottom line, you don't fire a head coach after one season after he just led you to a 13-4 season, even if Harbaugh is available.
Kansas City Chiefs
Andy Reid is one of the best head coaches in NFL history, and the work he's done with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs is unmatched. I get that he's 67 years old and he might not have much time left on the sidelines, but as long as he wants to coach, Reid should be running the show in Kansas City, no matter who is available.
Los Angeles Chargers
As funny as it'd be to see the Los Angeles Chargers fire Jim Harbaugh only to replace him with his brother, this shouldn't happen. Jim has led the Chargers to back-to-back playoff appearances after previously leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl and even having success in the college ranks. There's no need to let Jim go.
Los Angeles Rams
If Sean McVay isn't the best head coach in the NFL, he's certainly one of the best. His play-calling is as good as it gets, and he's had an unbelievable amount of success to boot. He's won a Super Bowl, and has the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl conversation this year as well.
Minnesota Vikings
Entering the 2025 season, Kevin O'Connell was considered one of the best three or five head coaches when considering what he's done with the Minnesota Vikings. Sure, 2025 was rough, despite what turned out to be a disastrous quarterback situation, they still went 9-8. That speaks to O'Connell being great at his job. The Vikings should not consider a change.
New England Patriots
NFL fans wondered why the Tennessee Titans fired Mike Vrabel not too long ago, and his debut season with the New England Patriots only made that decision look even worse. After back-to-back 4-13 seasons, Vrabel led the Patriots to a 14-3 record in 2025 and an AFC East title. He's their guy, and will be for a while.
San Francisco 49ers
Despite a myriad of injuries, the San Francisco 49ers won 12 games, made the playoffs, and even had a chance to earn the NFC's No. 1 seed. Kyle Shanahan had everything to do with that. Say what you want about his Super Bowl showings, but every year, Shanahan continues to prove he's one of the NFL's best at his position.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks were one of the biggest surprises of the NFL this season, and while Sam Darnold deserves immense credit, Mike Macdonald got the most out of his roster. Defense is his forte, and Seattle's is as good as anybody's. After finishing with the best record in the NFL, he's not going anywhere, nor should he.
Probably not
Carolina Panthers
Speaking of pleasant surprises, the Carolina Panthers won the NFC South. Who expected that? For that alone, Dave Canales probably shouldn't go anywhere. However, even with their division win, the Panthers were a sub-.500 team, and Canales has gone 13-21 in his two seasons. It wouldn't be the worst idea.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys just hired Brian Schottenheimer last offseason, so it'd be pretty unfair to fire him after one season, especially when I felt he did a pretty decent job. The Cowboys finished 7-9-1 despite some injuries and the Micah Parsons trade, so it's not as if Schottenheimer deserves to be fired. The NFL isn't a league built on fairness, though, and Harbaugh would be an upgrade.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints exceeded expectations by going 6-11 in Kellen Moore's first season, and Tyler Shough even looked like a franchise quarterback down the stretch. He did enough to stay, but it's not as if he's proven himself to be an elite head coach who should be untouchable, especially with Harbaugh available. The Saints should probably ride it out with Moore, but Harbaugh might be too appealing to pass on.
Philadelphia Eagles
This might be too harsh, but is it crazy to say that Nick Sirianni's job status shouldn't be completely set into stone? Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles won last year's Super Bowl, but they did so with the NFL's best roster, and this season has been underwhelming both on the field and even off of it with A.J. Brown. They should probably stick by their guy, but an early postseason exit would have me thinking a bit with Harbaugh available.
Washington Commanders
Dan Quinn helped lead the Washington Commanders to an unlikely NFC Championship Game appearance in his first season at the helm, but this past season was a disaster that saw the team go 5-12. Injuries played a huge role, so I don't blame Quinn for the result, but this season went poorly enough for Washington to maybe consider a switch for a guy like Harbaugh. It probably won't happen, but again, it might not be the worst idea.
Maybe?
Buffalo Bills
At this point, it's Super Bowl or bust for the Buffalo Bills. We know Sean McDermott can help this team win games in the regular season and get to the playoffs, but the Bills haven't even gotten to the Super Bowl with Josh Allen. That might not be McDermott's fault, but it certainly isn't Allen's, and at a certain point, someone needs to take the fall. An early exit in a playoff field that doesn't include Patrick Mahomes should lead to a change, and probably will.
Indianapolis Colts
Shane Steichen has been the Indianapolis Colts' head coach for three years now, and while he hasn't had any awful years, the Colts haven't made the playoffs once under his leadership. I don't blame him for how this season unraveled, as they'd probably make it if it weren't for Daniel Jones' injury, but the NFL is a results-based business, and Steichen lacks results. Harbaugh does not. It's that simple. Steichen shouldn't be on the hot seat, but Harbaugh's availability changes things.
Miami Dolphins
Not too long ago, Mike McDaniel was considered one of the best offensive-minded head coaches in the sport, but the Miami Dolphins just wrapped up their second straight losing season, and McDaniel hasn't won a single playoff game in his four seasons. I believe in his play-calling and think he'll get results with better quarterback play, but again, Harbaugh is as accomplished as any head coach. His availability makes moving on from McDaniel something to consider.
Pittsburgh Steelers
There wouldn't be a funnier outcome than the Pittsburgh Steelers firing Mike Tomlin and replacing him with John Harbaugh, a head coach their fans have disliked for the better part of two decades. An early postseason exit should cause Pittsburgh to consider it, right? Okay, they almost certainly won't fire Tomlin after making the playoffs, but at a certain point, enough is enough with Tomlin, and there isn't a better candidate available than Harbaugh.
Heck yeah!
Cincinnati Bengals
It's a mystery to me as to why the Cincinnati Bengals didn't fire Zac Taylor after another disappointing season. Joe Burrow's injury made his life difficult, but the Bengals haven't made the playoffs for three straight years now, and Taylor hasn't gotten any sort of results without his stars being healthy. Harbaugh, on the other hand, had the Ravens in the mix for the AFC North title even with Lamar Jackson's injury, and there's no reason to believe he wouldn't help elevate the Bengals' floor. Rubbing their success in the Ravens' nose would only make this sweeter.
New York Jets
I really am a firm believer in not firing a head coach after just one season, but Aaron Glenn's debut season with the New York Jets was an utter disaster. The Jets were non-competitive, and Glenn showed no signs of being a head coach who can help lead this team to wins. The franchise is in need of a culture change, and Harbaugh, an established coach who has accomplished as much as any head coach in the NFL, would bring the needed changes. Pairing Harbaugh with a young quarterback could lead to an exciting time in Jets Land for the first time in a long time.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Todd Bowles led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to three straight NFC South titles and nearly guided them to a fourth this season, but most of those had a lot to do with the division lacking talent than the Bucs being a truly elite team. The Panthers won this division with a losing record. Let that sink in. Bowles has been a head coach for eight full seasons (four with the Bucs) and has won a total of one playoff game. At some point, he is who he is. An argument can be made that Bowles should be fired regardless, and Harbaugh's availability makes it a no-brainer.
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