The Baltimore Ravens fired head coach John Harbaugh on Tuesday. Harbaugh now instantly becomes the coaching market’s hottest free agent.
John Harbaugh Fired
Sources: John Harbaugh is out as the Ravens head coach. pic.twitter.com/Rht9ssh01j
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2026
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Ravens fired Harbaugh after 18 seasons.
The news comes two days after the Ravens lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a winner-take-all game for the AFC North. Ravens kicker Tyler Loop missed a 44-yard field goal as time expired to give the Steelers a 26-24 victory.
With the loss, the Ravens were eliminated from postseason contention.
The Ravens hired Harbaugh in 2008 to be the team’s third head coach in franchise history. Under Harbaugh’s leadership, the Ravens became one of the top teams in the AFC.
The Ravens reached the postseason in Harbaugh’s first five seasons, culminating with a win in Super Bowl XLVII.
Harbaugh finished his run with an overall record of 180-113, the most wins in franchise history. The Ravens made 12 postseason appearances in 18 seasons, with the lone Super Bowl coming during the 2012 season.
After missing the playoffs in three consecutive seasons (2015-2017), the franchise’s overall trajectory changed with the drafting of quarterback Lamar Jackson.
With Jackson under center, the Ravens reached the postseason six of the last eight seasons. However, the Ravens could never reach the Super Bowl and notably lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship during the 2023 season.
Coming into the 2025 season, many predicted the Ravens would represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Instead, injuries to key players, including Jackson, and an inept defense resulted in a missed postseason appearance at 8-9.
Harbaugh signed a contract extension last offseason that kept him with the Ravens through the 2028 season.
However, the rumors of Harbaugh’s eventual dismissal became apparent during this tumultuous season. Rumors of a rift between Harbaugh and Jackson heated up as the season progressed.
On Sunday night, Harbaugh said he wanted another shot to coach the Ravens.
The 63-year-old will get another shot to coach, but it will be with another team.
John Harbaugh Becomes Top Coaching Target
John Harbaugh now is expected to become the top head-coaching candidate in this hiring cycle, per multiple league sources. Multiple teams now are expected to be interested in hiring him, and his presence is expected to have big ramifications.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2026
Harbaugh’s firing dramatically shifts the landscape of the coaching market.
Not counting the Ravens, there are six teams – including the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, and Atlanta Falcons — with head coaching vacancies.
Per Shefter, Harbaugh is now expected to become the “top head-coaching candidate” this hiring cycle.
If Harbaugh still wants to be an NFL head coach, he will get that opportunity if he wants it.
