At the top of the list for almost every team with a head coaching vacancy — and even some organizations that currently have head coaches — sits John Harbaugh, who was fired by the Ravens earlier this week after 18 seasons in Baltimore.
It’s a situation that feels eerily similar to the one a couple of years ago when Bill Belichick became available following his historic run in New England. However, unlike Belichick, Harbaugh seems to have far fewer detractors that could potentially hinder his chances of landing another job. The Falcons were also the most interested team in Belichick before ultimately landing on Raheem Morris, so it should come as no surprise if Harbaugh is at the top of Arthur Blank’s list of candidates as this coaching search gets underway.
But it always takes two to tango. While Belichick wasn’t pursued by most teams a couple of years ago, Harbaugh is now drawing interest from every organization with an opening. He appears poised to have his pick of the litter, but according to NFL insider Albert Breer, the Falcons are on the short list of teams viewed as a “realistic” landing spot for the future Hall of Fame head coach.
On John Harbaugh—no interviews this weekend, he'll start this coming week. Sources say 6 teams reached out right away, Miami made it 7 last night. He won't interview with them all.
So I'd see the realistic landing spots, as of now, as the Giants, Dolphins, Titans and Falcons.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 10, 2026
Of the jobs available right now, an argument can be made that the Falcons are in the best position. They are coming off a season in which they had four All-Pros, and their rookie class might have been the best in the entire league, highlighted by James Pearce Jr., who became the first player since Micah Parsons to record 10+ sacks in his first season. There is a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, most of it young, and they play in one of the most winnable divisions in football.
The problem is that more jobs could come open in the next week. This weekend’s Wild Card results could lead to a couple of firings, and if a team like Buffalo were to join the list of organizations searching for a head coach, they would instantly become the best job available by a country mile.
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Photo: Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire
