If we are looking at recent NFL history, we can point to a head coach getting a second chance and turning it into one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history when the Kansas City Chiefs hired Andy Reid in 2013 after he coached the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999 to 2012.
Three Super Bowl wins later, Reid finds his name among the greatest head coaches in NFL history.
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh could have the chance to follow a similar path if he’s fired or decides to step away from the franchise he’s coached since 2008 following this season.
If that happens, you can guarantee almost every team with a head coach opening will flock to Harbaugh to gauge his interest, with one very high profile team leading the way.
According to a report from The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor, the New York Giants might be first in line to try and land Harbaugh … along with the majority of the coaches in the AFC North.
“… Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, Baltimore’s John Harbaugh and Cleveland’s Kevin Stefanski … could potentially become available in the coming days,” O’Connor wrote on Saturday, January 3. “All three would move straight to the top of the Giants’ wish list of candidates in a job market that is almost as uninspiring as the Giants themselves.”
Ravens in Winner-Take-All Game in Week 18
Harbaugh led the Ravens to the second Super Bowl win in franchise history following the 2012 season and will try to lead his team to an NFC North Division title and the AFC’s last remaining playoff berth with a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18.
If the Ravens can find a way to go on the road and beat the Steelers in Week 18, it would mean Harbaugh has led his team to the playoffs 13 out of 18 seasons.
“If the Ravens win Sunday, John William Harbaugh would be the first coach in division history to three peat in the AFC North,” Nitty Gritty Sports wrote on its official X account. “Jesus Christ. He’s going to be saved, again, isn’t he?”
If Harbaugh can take any comfort from the report tying him to the Giants’ opening, it’s only that Tomlin’s name also got brought into the mess as well.
Another Option for Harbaugh: College Football
One option no one has thought of to this point would be a move to the college ranks, where Harbaugh might land a deal similar to the 7-year, $91 million contract LSU used to lure head coach Lane Kiffin away from Ole Miss.
Harbaugh’s younger brother, Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, won a College Football Playoff National Championship at Michigan following the 2023 season.
While the best college football openings have been filled for 2025, there could still be some plot twists ahead — particularly if Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman decides he wants to make the leap to the NFL or Alabama decides head coach Kalen DeBoer is no longer a good fit after a CFP quarterfinal debacle against Indiana.
There’s no doubt college teams, like NFL teams, would line up to try and hire Harbaugh if the interest is there.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Ravens HC John Harbaugh Called Top Candidate for NFC Opening appeared first on Heavy Sports.