ESPN's Jeff Saturday Weighs in on Atlanta Falcons' Chances with Harbaugh

The Atlanta Falcons are in the thick of a head coaching search, amid several organizational changes, and they are reportedly interested in pursuing former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. They will not be alone. After the Ravens’ decision on Tuesday night, Harbaugh instantly shot to the top of nearly every wish list across the NFL.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that several teams have already pushed him to the top of their list. The NFL insider also noted that seven teams have contacted his agent, even though only six other teams publicly have openings.

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Harbaugh ended his time in Baltimore as one of the NFL’s all-time winningest active coaches. He’s won a Super Bowl, while he has struggled to get them back, he did have the Ravens as one of the league’s consistent contenders.

Now it become a chance to woo the coach, instead of the other way around. So the question instantly becomes how attractive is the Falcons’ vacant position compared to others around the league?

ESPN NFL analyst Jeff Saturday believes that, assuming his goal is to win right away, it should be the top priority for him to land in Atlanta.

.@SaturdayJeff believes John Harbaugh could coach for the Falcons 👀

Where do you see him landing? pic.twitter.com/rFc9ShL0tY
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) January 7, 2026

“You look at what they did, winning four in a row to end the season,” the former NFL player said. “I know they’re going to have a quarterback decision to make, whether [Michael] Penix can come back or if he’s your guy or not, but they have two great backs, a good offensive line, great receivers, good tight end, [and] a good defense.

“I would’ve told you that was the best job available before the Ravens [opened up]. Also, you’re in a division that’s winnable. We always talk about the Super Bowl, but the key to this thing is winning division championships and home playoff games. That gets fans happy, and especially in an area where there hasn’t been consistent winning. There’s not the pressure to win right that second.”

While a few of those players that he referenced (Kyle Pitts Sr., Tyler Allgeier, etc.) may be on the move, Saturday’s point is well taken. The Falcons have a strong position compared to the argument of the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, or Arizona Cardinals.

In addition to an already steady roster, the Falcons created the potential for some additional cap space with a recent restructuring of the deal for quarterback Kirk Cousins.

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If they can figure out the quarterback position, Atlanta is potentially set up to win right away, and it would not be a surprise to see Arthur Blank make an aggressive push to bring the future Hall of Fame coach to Flowery Branch.

Despite not having a hire for the president of football role that may end up making many of these decisions, the Falcons have been quick to request time with several coaches in the early parts of this cycle. Several candidates are expected to emerge, and a long line of candidates has started to emerge over the last few days.