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Scoot over Kevin Stefanski and Klint Kubiak, there's a new most sought-after coach in the 2026 NFL coaching carousel: John Harbaugh. The Baltimore Ravens fired their coach of 18 seasons (2008-2025) on Tuesday two days after losing the de facto AFC North championship game to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a missed field goal as time expired.

Harbaugh's Ravens went 180-113 in his 18 seasons, good for the fourth-best in the NFL in that span behind only the New England Patriots (193-100), the Pittsburgh Steelers (183-108-2) and the Green Bay Packers (182-108-3). His 13 playoff wins are tied for the seventh-most in NFL history along with Mike Holmgren. Harbaugh's eight road playoff wins are the most in NFL postseason history. He helped lead Baltimore to the second Super Bowl title in franchise history with a victory in Super Bowl XLVII over the San Francisco 49ers to conclude the 2012 season. Harbaugh earned NFL Coach of the Year honors in 2019 when the Ravens produced a 14-2 record in quarterback Lamar Jackson's first of two NFL MVP campaigns. 

Blowing a 10-0 lead against the Steelers on Sunday night ended up being the final straw for Harbaugh, whose 26 blown leads of 10-plus points are the most by any coach since 2008 when he took over the Ravens' job. Twelve of them occurred over the last five seasons, which is five more than any other team in the NFL. 

After his 180 wins with the Ravens, the eighth-most by any coach with one team in NFL history, Harbaugh will now be arguably the most coveted coach of this NFL hiring cycle. Here's a look at his top five landing spots now that he is available.

Ranking head coaching vacancies: Which of these seven jobs is the most desirable?
Jared Dubin
Ranking head coaching vacancies: Which of these seven jobs is the most desirable?

Cleveland Browns 

If Harbaugh desired to go the petty route, he could remain in the AFC North with the Cleveland Browns after they fired Kevin Stefanski. Cleveland needs a breath of fresh air after the doom and gloom trading for and extending quarterback Deshaun Watson brought their franchise. 

Harbaugh oversaw the drafting and development of quarterback Joe Flacco, who won Super Bowl XLVII honors, and Jackson, who won NFL MVP honors in 2019 and 2023. Coaching soon-to-be two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year edge rusher Myles Garrett after he just broke the league's single-season record with 23.0 in 2025 could be very appealing. He'll just need to help Cleveland navigate a successful search for a franchise quarterback after hitting on two with the Ravens in Flacco and Jackson. 

Atlanta Falcons 

The Atlanta Falcons are perhaps the most win-now option of the current NFL coaching vacancies given their young talent and being in the NFC South, a division the Carolina Panthers won with a losing record (8-9) in 2025.

Running back Bijan Robinson, at 23 years old, led the NFL in scrimmage yards (2,298). Wide receiver Drake London, 24, has flashed No. 1 wide receiver potential at times. Tight end Kyle Pitts, 25, is showing progress after producing a career-high 88 catches, the second-most in the NFL among tight ends in 2025. 

Defensively, the Falcons had the 2025 rookie leader in sacks and quarterback pressures (edge rusher James Pearce Jr. with 10.5 sacks and 45 quarterback pressures), the No. 2 2025 rookie leader in sacks (edge rusher Jalon Walker) and the 2025 rookie leader in interceptions (safety Xavier Watts with five). That's a strong foundation for a team whose division is up for grabs every season. If Harbaugh can help the Falcons get the quarterback position right, Atlanta could be a contender for years to come.

New York Giants 

The New York Giants have their hopeful quarterback of the future in place with 2025 first-round pick Jaxson Dart. He ended his rookie year on a high note with 230 yards passing and two passing touchdowns while completing 22 of his 32 throws for a career-high 110.2 passer rating in a 34-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Pro Bowl wide receiver Malik Nabers will be back for Year 3 fully recovered from a torn ACL. 

Pro Bowl edge rusher Brian Burns finished second in the NFL in sacks with 16.5, and the Giants also have Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence in the middle with 2025 third overall pick edge rusher Abdul Carter developing on the other side of the defensive line as well. 

If Harbaugh wants to coach what is arguably the most talented defensive line in football with some offensive playmakers already in place, the Giants make plenty of sense. It will be interesting to see if he would want to work with general manager Joe Schoen or if he would prefer entering a new team with a general manager he already possesses an established rapport with. 

Las Vegas Raiders 

The Raiders are a blank slate Harbaugh can mold in his own image since they have the 2026 NFL Draft's first overall pick. He can handpick his preferred quarterback between Oregon's Dante Moore and Indiana Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. 

He would be pairing one of those passers with 2024 sixth overall pick running back Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty is the first rookie in NFL history with 900-plus rushing yards (975), five-plus rushing touchdowns (4) and five-plus receiving touchdowns (5). Plus, 2024 first-team All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, who will be in just his third season in 2026. Five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby is also a fantastic defensive foundation block. However, the AFC West is a gauntlet with the No. 1 seed Denver Broncos, the playoff-bound Los Angeles Chargers and Patrick Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs. 

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins still employ coach Mike McDaniel, but there's a chance that could change with Harbaugh's availability flipping the whole NFL coaching carousel upside down. 

Team owner Stephen Ross is a huge fan of the Harbaugh family as a prominent University of Michigan alum: the university's business school is named after the Dolphins owner. That could lead to Ross moving heaven and earth to land Harbaugh. Miami already has a general manager vacancy, so the Dolphins could offer Harbaugh the chance to pick his own GM.

Miami will be headed toward a rebuild in 2026 and 2027 with the failed nature of the Tua Tagovailoa era that netted zero playoff wins, which could put the Dolphins in prime position to draft University of Texas quarterback Arch Manning in 2027. That setup, plus the opportunity to live in South Florida as Harbaugh enters his mid-60s, could be quite appealing.