Who has the upper hand with John Harbaugh? Evaluating the coach’s best options

The Baltimore Ravens made the controversial yet overdue decision to fire John Harbaugh after an 8-9 campaign that resulted in a stunning postseason absence. A popular Super Bowl pick coming into the season, Baltimore failed to capitalize on the collapse of Kansas City, Cincinnati and the traditional AFC power structure. Now, Harbaugh — a 2012 Super Bowl champ and 2019 Coach of the Year — is available to the highest bidder.

Unlike less proven coaching candidates, who accept pretty much any interview and take the first real offer made to them, Harbaugh is expected to slow play things a bit. He has spent the last week deep in research, and is now beginning to select teams to interview with. The Atlanta Falcons are the first team to officially secure a sitdown with the accomplished head coach, but plenty of other teams will gladly and gleefully make their pitch. Harbaugh appears to be casting a wide net.

What should John Harbaugh look for in a head coaching vacancy?

Harbaugh is a defensive-minded coach through and through, with his roots dating back to his stint as a defensive back at the University of Miami Ohio. He graduated in 1984. From there, he coached at various schools for about a decade before landing the role of special teams coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1998. He leveled up to defensive backs coach in 2007, then made the leap to head coach in Baltimore in 2008. The rest is history.

Harbaugh should therefore appreciate a solid defensive core. That’s not to say a bit of front office magic and proper guidance can’t transform any team’s defense, but Harbaugh would surely prefer to start with an above-average unit out of the gate. Star power plays a big role there, of course, but depth — and the front office’s ability to locate and acquire defensive difference-makers on the margins — is just as important.

Of course, if there’s any one position that can sway a head coach’s decision-making process — regardless of that coach’s background — it’s quarterback. It’s so much easier to envision the path to contention with an established franchise QB. A team praying for success in the NFL Draft or hoping to strike Sam Darnold-like gold in the bargain bin of free agency is inherently less appealing. It’s borderline impossible to win consistently in the NFL without a certain baseline competence under center.

As such, let’s rank the best landing spots for Harbaugh, based on the quality of rosters (and of quarterbacks), along with other potential variables such as market size, location and so forth.

5. Tennessee Titans

Cam Ward made some awesome plays amid all the misery of last season for the Tennessee Titans. The reigning No. 1 pick is a major talent and has the potential to develop into a bonafide franchise quarterback. But there’s uncertainty there, too. We need to see him deliver the football more efficiently. He was held back, without a doubt, by Tennessee’s abysmal supporting cast in 2025. But there’s a lot of work ahead for Ward before we can confidently proclaim him as a star.

Beyond Ward, the Titans’ situation is pretty grim. There are a few quality pieces on defense, namely Jeffery Simmons, but his future is murky at best. The Titans are in the early stages of this rebuild, so it could get even worse before it gets better. Harbaugh typically elevates the floor of any team he coaches, but Baltimore dramatically underperformed the talent of its roster last season. He by no means guarantees success. He needs the personnel to execute. He also needs the right assistant coaches. Harbaugh shouldn’t have much trouble luring big names to coach under him, but Nashville is one of the least glamorous markets in football. It is what it is. That’s not a judgment on Nashville as a city, just a realistic observation of how it’s perceived externally.

The same issues could arise in free agency. Harbaugh is a draw, but the Titans organization is very much not. Stars aren’t going to single out Tennessee as a place to play, the same way they might in New York or Las Vegas. A strong organizational foundation can overcome that, but the Titans have been a mess ever since the Mike Vrabel era blew up. Ownership has blatant commitment issues. The front office power structure has been muddled for years. Harbaugh can find a more stable situation to walk into.

4. Las Vegas Raiders

On paper, the Las Vegas Raiders job does not look very appealing. Geno Smith’s production plummeted in 2025, yet he’s still under contract, which clouds Vegas’ payroll. The team won all of three games after hiring Pete Carroll, perhaps the most lauded defensive mind of his generation, paying substantial money on a now-defunct quarterback, and plainly trying to contend. This was not a scheduled rebuilding year. The Raiders wanted to crack the playoffs, but will instead select No. 1 overall in April’s NFL Draft.

That is where the appeal begins, however. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner, is widely expected to land in Sin City as the top pick. He’s one of the most polished and intelligent quarterback prospects in recent memory. He does his homework, reads even the most complex college defenses like a book, and has the arm talent to promote future stardom in the NFL. If any rookie can step in and win football games from day one, it’s Mendoza.

Harbaugh shouldn’t mind authoring his next chapter with Mendoza. Moreover, Las Vegas’ defense does have some juice left over from the brief Antonio Pierce era. Maxx Crosby is a bonafide superstar and if anything can repair that relationship, it’s hiring a coach like Harbaugh. There’s a world in which Harbaugh comes in, the Raiders front office spams defensive free agents with its boatload of cap space, and Harbaugh has a top-five defense, led by a DPOY candidate in Crosby, to go with an offense helmed by a future Pro Bowl quarterback in Mendoza. The tides in Las Vegas can turn quickly.

3. Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback situation has been a gaping black hole for two decades now, so in that sense, Harbaugh should approach this opening with trepidation. Deshaun Watson’s imminent return doesn’t exactly ease the tension either. But, just about everything else puts Cleveland firmly in the “Must Consider” category. Mainly the defense, which ranked fifth in EPA per play (-0.10) last season.

Cleveland already has the bones of a top defensive unit. Myles Garrett just set the NFL sack record and he’s locked up long term. The Browns can win in the trenches and keep games close, even when the offense lags behind. The Browns were an 11-win team just a couple years ago. If the Browns can finally strike gold at quarterback — whether it’s internal growth from their rooks, a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft, or a smart free agent investment — this team has a chance to shoot up in the standings.

Might Harbaugh enjoy sticking around the AFC North, too? Despite all the bad history in Cleveland, that is very much a marquee organization. You can get folks interested in playing for the Browns. Factor in the chance to directly avenge himself against Baltimore (and Pittsburgh, for that matter), and the Browns could land high on Harbaugh’s list. Shedeur Sanders probably isn’t the answer, but if the Browns can just find the right upgrade, watch out. Even their offensive personnel, in the non-QB department, features a lot to get excited about.

2. New York Giants

The New York Giants are another organization mired in years of dysfunction and lackluster performance, but the outline of a future contender is in place. Jaxson Dart was comfortably the best rookie QB in the NFL this season. He needs to play smarter, and sure, there’s reason to still bet on Cam Ward long term. But Dart delivered on all the hype. He’s the sort of daring, dual-threat quarterback who could remind Harbaugh faintly of Lamar Jackson.

Beyond Dart, New York has some exciting playmakers — Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo, etc. — and a defense on the verge of something greater. Abdul Carter still warrants your faith. Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence are Pro Bowlers. Darius Alexander made a real impression as a rookie. With the right offseason upgrades, and the right coaching under Harbaugh, it’s not hard to envision the Giants fielding a competitive defense in 2026.

Perhaps the biggest factor in New York’s favor, however, is… New York. The Giants occupy one of the biggest sports markets on the globe and thus profile as a real destination for top free agents. Add a coach with Harbaugh’s reputation to the mix, and suddenly folks will line up around the block to play for the Giants. Especially if Dart continues to look like a budding star at QB.

1. Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons were the first team to announce an official meeting with Harbaugh, which feels notable. While there has been a lot of talk about Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart and the high-octane young QBs, Atlanta was an eight-win team last season. No team (aside from Baltimore) is closer to actual contention. In terms of overall roster construction, Harbaugh couldn’t ask for a better situation to walk into.

Atlanta was 15th in EPA per play defensively (-0.01), pretty much smack in the middle of the pack. As their young building blocks, like Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., take the next step, it shouldn’t be long before Atlanta levels up. Jessie Bates remains one of the absolute best DBs in football. Even more impressive is the offensive personnel. Kyle Pitts finally broke through as the all-world tight end Falcons fans expected with the No. 4 pick. Bijan Robinson was in the MVP conversation for a minute. Drake London is a proper WR1. The Falcons have invested endless resources into building a potent offense.

All that’s missing is clarity at the quarterback position. That’s a huge factor, obviously, but it’s too early to write off Michael Penix. With Kirk Cousins presumably off the books, the Falcons can also dip into the free agent pool. The quarterback position is not a strength, but it’s also not disastrous enough to scare Harbaugh off when the rest of the team is so well-constructed. It helps that the NFC South is ripe for domination. As such, Atlanta feels like the rightful frontrunners here.