When John Harbaugh was fired by the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday, the atmosphere surrounding the dismissal had an Andy Reid vibe to it.
As we all know, Reid was fired by Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie on December 31, 2012. The firing came after an impressive 14-year run that led the team to nine playoff appearances, 10 postseason victories and one Super Bowl appearance. Ultimately, Reed was cut by the Eagles after missing the playoffs in consecutive years and immediately became a cornerstone candidate in a head coaching search field that included then-Oregon head coach Chip Kelly (arguably the hottest name in college football) and active Indianapolis Colts walk-on Bruce Arians. But even in a field with some interesting options, Reed’s resume, accomplishments and demeanor immediately elevate his standing.
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He hasn’t worked for four days.
Despite multiple interview requests, Reid held a nine-hour meeting with Kansas City Chiefs brass in a Philadelphia airport conference room. When he quit, Reed found his next job. He canceled other flights and was set to make the announcement within days, providing a typical snapshot of how NFL teams move quickly when a marquee coach hits the open market.
That’s the kind of coach John Harbaugh, who compiled 180 wins in 18 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. He also had one Super Bowl victory with Joe Flacco at quarterback, 12 playoff appearances, 11 double-digit win seasons and four AFC Championship Game appearances. He was also the 2019 Associated Press Coach of the Year.
That collective record, including a team culture that withstood the 2015 Ray Rice domestic violence investigation, is coveted in NFL ownership circles. A coaching and leadership reputation like this kept Reed out of work for four days in a row. That’s the opportunity Harbaugh quickly jumped at after being fired on Tuesday, and could even land another job as early as Friday.
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Strangely, he paused.
John Harbaugh’s experience in the Lamar Jackson era includes an appearance in the AFC Championship Game during the 2023 season. (Carl Merton Phelan/The Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
(The Baltimore Sun via Getty Images)
A day after Harbaugh left the Ravens, his agent, Brian Harlan, fielded more phone calls than teams with actual head coaching vacancies — meaning at least one or two teams with still-head coaches were peeking at Harbaugh’s potential interest in their teams. But rather than immediately hit the road and get themselves in front of NFL team owners or their search teams, Harbaugh’s team sent the message that official interviews won’t begin until next week at the earliest.
What is the motivation behind patience?
I spoke with agents of two coaching candidates who have already attracted interview interest of their own this cycle, and each said an obvious design is at work: Harbaugh doesn’t yet know the entire field of opportunity in front of him. This was most apparent when the Miami Dolphins changed course on head coach Mike McDaniel, abruptly firing Harbaugh after he entered the game, even though McDaniel had met with owner Stephen Ross about his return, held a season-ending news conference with the media and completed exit interviews with players.
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When Harbaugh came on, McDaniel’s job suddenly and strangely wasn’t with the Dolphins anymore.
The same fate could befall some current playoff coaches.
“I’m sure they’re waiting to see what happens [the] buffalo [Bills],” said a coaching agent.
“You left out [Green Bay] Packers,” another added.
There’s obviously pressure on Bills head coach Sean McDermott and Packers head coach Matt LaFleur heading into this weekend.
Last offseason, LaFleur was entering the final year of his contract in Green Bay in 2026, and new president Ed Policy was unable to extend his contract. The extension initially appeared to be a tough negotiation issue, with LaFleur’s current salary of $5 million lagging well behind some of his less successful contemporaries. LaFleur, who ranks 19th in the league according to Front Office Sports, will reportedly make less in 2025 than three first-year (and first-time) head coaches: Liam Cohen of the Jacksonville Jaguars ($10 million per season); Aaron Glenn of the New York Jets ($12 million) and Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears ($13 million). He ranks last in the NFC North behind Johnson, the Minnesota Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell ($13 million) and the Detroit Lions’ Dan Campbell ($11 million).
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That huge financial disparity has already set up a difficult extension negotiation this season — and that was before the Packers made some sweeping moves in the offseason that thrust Green Bay into the Super Bowl favorites conversation. Chief among them was the acquisition of defensive end Micah Parsons. Now, with Green Bay dealing with some key injuries and fading into the playoffs at the end of the season, there will also be questions on the field about LaFleur’s ability to overcome adversity. On a macro level, his 76-40-1 record is impressive, but on a micro level over the past four seasons, he’s 37-30-1 with one playoff win. Another way to put it: His best days with Aaron Rodgers are starting to fade.
If the Packers lose in Chicago on Saturday, that doesn’t mean Green Bay will automatically move on from LaFleur, but it creates room for conversation.
There are two fairly significant caveats to John Harbaugh’s pursuit that seem to make him a distant candidate for the Packers: Harbaugh will likely be paid $20 million per season at his next stop, and he’s also believed to want control of his 53-man roster and influence in the personnel department. It seems unlikely that Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst will hand that power over to anyone at this time.
Bill might be a little different. Head coach Sean McDermott is 0-5 on the road in the postseason, which presents him with significant danger, including three games against the Chiefs and two against the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars. If McDermott loses to the Jaguars and Kern on Sunday, it will represent another burning season for Josh Allen as he turns 30 and enters his offseason prime. We also can’t forget that even if the Bills don’t field their best team in history, they’ll be facing an AFC playoff game without Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. While the Bills aren’t perfect, there’s no doubt the veteran coach and still-MVP-caliber quarterback can take advantage of this opportunity, especially with the Bills showing a strong run game in support and offensive coordinator Joe Brady getting a call for a head coaching interview.
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If McDermott and the Bills fall short against Jacksonville — which would reignite questions about McDermott’s job — Buffalo is arguably the best landing spot on the market heading into the 2026 season, with a new stadium opening and an offense that will have a winning set of veterans around Allen. Buffalo’s salary cap isn’t perfect, with the Bills having the third-worst salary cap in the league, but that could be adjusted with a few big trades on the roster. The Bills also hold the majority of their all-important draft capital, giving the team the flexibility to invest in defensive units in need.
Even if McDermott fails to win Sunday’s game, there are ownership hurdles for the Bills’ job. General manager Brandon Beane and McDermott are under contract through the 2027 season. Beane also has complete control over personnel and the 53-man roster. It’s unlikely he’d be willing to hand over some control to Harbaugh. But that could change, too, depending on what the game looks like in Jacksonville. If it’s the Jaguars offense, there are a lot of avenues that could be taken.
For now, conditions elsewhere remain best for teams like the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins, despite Miami hiring Jon-Eric Sullivan as general manager on Friday. The Giants and Dolphins are both willing to pay top dollar to lure Harbaugh, and while Miami is more important than New York in clearing out its roster, both have some job opportunities. Ironically, the best head coaching job open in the NFL is likely Harbaugh’s old position with the Ravens. The Cleveland Browns, whom Harbaugh grew up rooting for, are a team with huge potential.
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No matter which path he chooses, the key is that Harbaugh currently has the leverage. He can choose almost any open destination. Or he could go the Sean Payton route and take a year off and take a high-paying, high-profile analyst job while patiently waiting for the perfect landing spot. He has a card.
He knows. NFL teams know this. Next week, we’ll see how he plays them.
