Cardinals Should Pounce on John Harbaugh After Ravens’ Stunning Move

The Baltimore Ravens have parted ways with legendary coach John Harbaugh. The Arizona Cardinals should move quickly to land the NFL veteran.

Dec 7, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh reacts after a call following a play against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

ARIZONA -- And all of a sudden, a hot new bombshell enters the villa.

This isn't Love Island, though the Arizona Cardinals' head coaching vacancy following the dismissal of Jonathan Gannon will see numerous suitors interviewed to lead the organization marching into 2026.

There's plenty of notable names in this cycle that will garner attention, though the Baltimore Ravens' latest move to part ways with John Harbaugh massively shakes things up across the league.

Harbaugh instantly becomes the top head coach available, and the Cardinals need to make a serious push at his services.

Why Did Ravens Fire John Harbaugh?

Dec 27, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh walks off the field after the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images | Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images

Harbaugh just concluded his 18th season in Baltimore, ending a run that was one of the longest-tenured in the league after the Ravens failed to make the postseason in 2025.

Simply put, it was best for both the coach and organization to part ways in order for fresh starts. It doesn't seem as if there's any ill will on either side after a successful run that saw Harbaugh make 12 playoff appearances with a Super Bowl win on his resume.

This feels like a breakup that's been a long time coming, as the Ravens haven't lived up to their championship expectations in recent memory for various reasons.

Now, Baltimore could shake things up even further pending the future with Lamar Jackson, though when it comes to Harbaugh, he's bound to go anywhere he practically desires.

Why Cardinals Should Go All-In on John Harbaugh

Dec 27, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh reacts to a play during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Look, the Cardinals won't be first or second in the long line of teams that have likely already contacted Harbaugh to coach their squad.

And, as CBS Sports previously highlighted, the Cardinals rank low in the pecking order of desirable jobs.

However, that shouldn't stop Arizona GM Monti Ossenfort from trying everything possible to get Harbaugh in the building for an interview.

After firing Gannon, the Cardinals have improved their culture, locker room and roster from the Kliff Kingsbury days. Now, they need an experienced head coach to put them over the hump.

Harbaugh perfectly fits that bill, on top of his ability to patch up a Cardinals defense that desperately needs it after underperforming to expectations in 2025.

It's also helpful Harbaugh knows Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald fairly well, as he was Harbaugh's defensive coordinator for two seasons before joining the NFC West. Arizona has lost their last nine games to the Seahawks.

When asked what they were looking for in their next head coach, Ossenfort said:

"First and foremost, we're looking for a strong leader. Being a head coach in the NFL is a difficult job, and there's 31 other teams that are trying to do the same thing that we're doing. And so a lot goes into that. There's being a strong leader, it's creating accountability and dependability in the locker room, it's creating advantages on the field, putting our players in a position to be successful.

"It's developing young players. It's helping them take that next step. We get players out of college, and we have to get them better. And so there's a lot that falls under the umbrella of a head coach, and so we're focused on finding a coach that can help us achieve those goals."

Harbaugh sure seems to check those boxes.