John Harbaugh lined up for immediate return after broken locker room decide Baltimore Ravens fate

Jan 7, 2026 - 09:45

John Harbaugh has hit the market.

The most successful head coach in Baltimore Ravens history was fired on Tuesday, ending his tenure in Maryland after 18 seasons.

Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens reacts during the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on January 4, 2026 — Harbaugh was fired by the Ravens after failing to reach the playoffs in 2025

His departure came just two days after Baltimore lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Week 18 showdown for the AFC North title.

The Ravens were beaten 26-24 after missing a last-second field goal attempt, and failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

Harbaugh, a Super Bowl champion and former Coach of the Year, will become the hottest name in the coaching market if he decides to return for the 2026 season.

Baltimore’s vacancy, meanwhile, immediately becomes the most coveted job in the NFL.

The shock split, according to Ian Rapoport, was unceremonious.

NFL insider breaks down John Harbaugh’s Ravens departure

“A dramatic decision did not come about in a matter of minutes,” Rapoport began, speaking on The Insiders.

“It really was the product of several conversations between Eric DeCosta, the general manager, between John Harbaugh himself, between players — soliciting plenty of opinions from players, from coaches.

“And yes, it did seem like John Harbaugh himself, to my understanding, was surprised, felt he was in good standing.

“(He) wanted to run it back with his current staff, including offensive coordinator Todd Monken, including defensive coordinator Zach Orr, planned to be with the Ravens for years to come, until he was informed that he is out.”

Rapoport added that Harbaugh was fired for reasons beyond missing the playoffs, and noted that some players ‘had doubts’ about whether or not they wanted to play for the veteran.

Derrick Henry #22 and head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens celebrate after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on December 27, 2025 — Harbaugh is said to have lost the locker room in Baltimore before being fired

talkSPORT reacts... Seismic change in Baltimore

News of John Harbaugh's firing has sent shock waves through the NFL, and plenty of owners will be dreaming of snapping him up for 2026.

If reports are to be believed, the Super Bowl XLVII winner lost the locker room.

Some players aren’t sure they still want to play for a head coach who boasts more wins than anyone else in franchise history, and who guided them to the playoffs in six of the last eight seasons.

But is there really anyone else on the market capable of knocking this underachieving team, with a two-time MVP at quarterback, into bigger contenders than Harbaugh?

I’m not so sure. The job, of course, will be very desirable for the likes of Kevin Stefanski (45–56 in Cleveland) and Brian Daboll (20–40–1 in NY).

But the suggestion that other teams, without an open coaching vacancy, have already contacted the outgoing Harbaugh’s agent in the last few hours says it all.

Be careful what you wish for, Baltimore.

Oliver Browning, US Sports Writer.

Much has been made of the breakdown in his relationship with franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson, but the issue, apparently, ran deeper.

He continued: “My understanding, after talking to several sources involved, is that simply Harbaugh lost the locker room.

“At the end, players just simply had doubts about whether or not they wanted to play for him as their head coach.

“The opinions of players, (NFL reporter) Judy (Battista), was valued here, it was listened to. It went to all levels. And it’s not just Lamar Jackson.”

While things turned sour in Baltimore, the 64-year-old coach is expected to make an immediate comeback.

‘Nine’ NFL teams contact John Harbaugh after Ravens departure

Within hours of Harbaugh’s firing, teams began approaching his agent, Bryan Harlan.

Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates with the VInce Lombardi Championship trophy after the Ravens won 34-31 against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 — Harbaugh won the Super Bowl in 2013 and will be the hottest coach on the market

Harlan told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday night that he had received calls from seven NFL teams expressing interest.

Currently, only six have vacant positions, meaning at least one unknown club could be in the market for a new head coach.

Longtime NFL insider Gary Myers later suggested that as many as nine teams have made inquiries.

The Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants and Tennessee Titans are all open spots.

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But for a coach who boasts a 180-113 record (.614), and holds the NFL record for road playoff wins (eight), it’s not surprising to hear Harbaugh is being sized up for positions that are closed too.

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