With John Harbaugh taking the fall for the failed 2025 season and the years of January frustrations that preceded it, the Ravens now search for the fourth head coach in team history.
The question is what exactly they’re looking for when the man Baltimore just fired is now widely regarded as the top candidate on the market.
Considering we aren’t scheduled to hear from Bisciotti and general manager Eric DeCosta until a press conference next Tuesday afternoon, it’s difficult to say for sure. Of course, they’re unlikely to pigeonhole themselves by stating ultra specific criteria anyway.
Do they want a younger first-time head coach after bidding farewell to a 63-year-old who’d spent nearly two decades in that job? Or does a team very much in win-now mode prefer someone with more experience to hit the ground running in such a capacity?
Are ties to the organization — or even the previous head coach — viewed as a plus, or is someone with a completely foreign perspective more desirable?
After years of Harbaugh — the longtime special teams coordinator in Philadelphia before coming to Baltimore — serving as a CEO-style coach without a strong slant to either side of the ball, many have cited value to linking a strong offensive mind at head coach to Lamar Jackson. Not only might that invigorate the two-time MVP quarterback coming off a frustrating campaign, but it would mitigate the event of another team hiring away the offensive coordinator if 2026 goes as well as the Ravens hope. Needless to say, it’s the kind of structure that’s worked well for the likes of Kansas City, San Francisco, and the Los Angeles Rams in recent years.
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On the flip side, the Ravens defense was a major disappointment in 2025 and would certainly benefit from having a head coach with a high aptitude for that side of the ball. Ultimately, no matter how important the quarterback position is, the head coach is responsible for the entire team, meaning too much focus on one player or one side of the ball isn’t healthy either. We’ve seen some brilliant coordinators not succeed as head coaches over the years because it’s a much different job with widespread responsibilities that extend beyond the field.
It’s best to cast a wide net overall, which is why the earliest reported names being interviewed don’t follow a particular pattern. Some are more popular with fans while certain retreads who failed at previous stops are more likely to induce some groans.
You never know as it’s safe to say Harbaugh being the pivot after Jason Garrett turned down the Ravens’ offer 18 years ago worked out just fine despite reaction at the time.
Not only is this a search to find the next head coach and potential assistants, but it brings an opportunity to gain fresh perspectives outside your bubble about football and your team, which is something even the smartest organizations should embrace.
Even Harbaugh’s harshest critics understand the Ravens’ shortcomings weren’t all his fault. There have been questionable personnel decisions made by DeCosta, and players themselves have to be accountable for underperforming in 2025 and not executing in the most critical moments of so many blown leads and heartbreaking January losses over the years.
Any perspective gained about your own shortcomings is valuable, especially when they’ve been so confounding at times.
8As just one example, the Ravens may or may not have a ton of interest in hiring Kansas City offensive coordinator and ex-Chicago head coach Matt Nagy, but gaining insight from someone who’s worked so closely with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes is absolutely worth a conversation even if it doesn’t go beyond a preliminary interview. Anything you might gather from how the Chiefs operate or have viewed the Ravens in recent years could help chart an improved path in some shape or form.
And there’s always the possibility that someone who failed elsewhere has learned and adapted to be ready to thrive with the next opportunity. After all, Bill Belichick failed in Cleveland and Reid couldn’t win the big one in Philadelphia before eventually becoming two of the greatest of all time with their next head coaching shots.
The Ravens are in rare territory with a dynamic franchise quarterback and a talented roster that make this such an attractive job compared to most teams in any given hiring cycle. It’s also the first time they’ve needed to find a head coach in 18 years.
Taking their time and casting as wide a net as possible is the only way to go.
