Ravens Fire John Harbaugh, Triggering an NFL Coaching Gold Rush

It always felt as if the loser of Sunday Night Football’s AFC North decider between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers would result in a coach being fired.

And it did.

The Ravens fired John Harbaugh on Tuesday, which will set up an NFL coaching gold rush unlike we’ve ever seen before.

The reasoning for firing Harbaugh actually makes a bit of sense. He’s 63. That’s not exactly Pete Carroll, but it surely isn’t Sean McVay, either. Sure, the Ravens dealt with an unfathomable amount of injuries this season, but the AFC North was a joke, Lamar Jackson regressed and it felt like the organization sided with their newly turned 29-year-old quarterback.

But one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, or something like that. Because it’s unfair to consider Harbaugh trash. In his 18 seasons with the Ravens, Baltimore was only under .500 three times.

According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Harbaugh is expected to be a wildly hot commodity. In fact, teams that have not yet fired their head coach are calling Harbaugh’s representatives to explore interest.

Say you were the Miami Dolphins. It’s probable that Mike McDaniel enters next season on the hot seat with a gigantic question mark at quarterback and a Tyreek Hill sized hole at wide receiver. You probably want Harbaugh.

Say you were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. You play in the most hilarious division in football, have a competent quarterback with a decent roster. You probably want Harbaugh.

Say you were the New York Jets. You need a quarterback, but that could be solved in free agency, via trade, or with the No. 2 overall pick because of what happened at the deadline. You probably regret giving Aaron Glenn a five-year deal.

The list goes on and on.

Harbaugh will undoubtedly have his pick of the litter in terms of coaching options in 2026. Keep an eye out for what happens in the NFL Playoffs this weekend, also. If a team like the Steelers or Green Bay Packers were to completely flame out, there’s a prime candidate for them on the open market.

The Super Bowl XLVII winning coach will obviously pick the best destination.

Of the current openings, the New York Giants could be attractive, depending on how he feels about Jaxson Dart. The Las Vegas Raiders have the No. 1 overall pick, but that would come down to how Harbaugh values Fernando Mendoza.

The Harbaugh watch is officially on. It wouldn’t be surprising if teams fire their coaches just for a chance to land him.