Thanks to the Baltimore Ravens firing head coach John Harbaugh on Tuesday, there is a new top candidate during this year’s hiring cycle. A Super Bowl-winning coach who won over 61% of his games in 18 NFL years, Harbaugh’s services will be in high demand, and there are already rumors swirling about where he might end up.
NFL Coaching Carousel: Where Will John Harbaugh End Up In 2026?
Here are three possible destinations for John Harbaugh in 2026 and beyond:
New York Giants
One of the more attractive of the coaching vacancies lies in New York. The Giants are on the hunt for their next leader after firing Brian Daboll mid-season, and they have some nice pieces in place to attract potential candidates. Their roster features a healthy mix of ascending young players and proven veterans on both sides of the ball, and there are legitimate cornerstone pieces along the offensive and defensive lines.
There have been reports that New York’s front office has been leaning towards another offensive-minded coach, but Harbaugh’s pedigree instantly makes him one of the best fits for a team in desperate need of stability.
Miami Dolphins
According to reports immediately following the firing, the Miami Dolphins could be a dark horse candidate to land Harbaugh. The team has, thus far, held on to Mike McDaniel as their leader, but it has been noted that the team hasn’t yet publicly endorsed the decision to keep him. As NFL insider Josina Anderson noted, Miami’s front office has shown an affinity for Harbaugh recently, and his availability could cause a shakeup in their approach.
Miami is in a tough spot with its roster, especially at quarterback. It will be at least a couple of years before the team is projected to compete, and it remains to be seen if Harbaugh prefers a win-now destination in the search for his next role.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns are already scheduled to interview one person from last year’s Ravens’ coaching staff, but they may want to add another. It was announced on Tuesday that Baltimore offensive coordinator Todd Monken would be interviewing for Cleveland’s vacancy, where he was once an offensive coordinator. Now that Harbaugh is available, though, the Browns are likely to be one of the many NFL teams lining up to speak with John Harbaugh about his future.
Is the situation attractive enough, though? Being in Cleveland would give Harbaugh the opportunity to play against his old team at least twice a year, but the payroll and roster are both in need of some serious re-working. But the team would likely be willing to hand over a blank check to the 63-year-old free agent coach, especially given his familiarity with the division.
