Falcons Miss Out on Top Choice in NFL Coaching Carousel

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Atlanta Falcons have reportedly missed out on the top available coaching candidate of the 2026 cycle with the news that John Harbaugh is set to agree to terms with the New York Giants. They were the first team to welcome him into their facility for an in-person visit, and they ensured he did not make it anywhere else.

John Harbaugh and the Giants are working to finalize an agreement to make him New York’s next head coach and, barring a setback, a deal is expected, multiple sources tell ESPN.

The deal is not final and contract numbers still are being negotiated. “There still is a lot to work… pic.twitter.com/CQmSljImf9
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 15, 2026

Many teams showed some aggression in trying to acquire the 63-year-old head coach, but the Giants had been particularly assertive. Team executive, Chris Mara, met with Harbaugh for lunch on Sunday in Baltimore before they had “an informal” meeting at the coach’s house. New York also had Eli Manning and Brian Daboll call Harbaugh to give some insight into second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.

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Formal interviews with other contending teams were supposed to take place later this week, but it is now clear that those franchises will need to look elsewhere. He was set to meet with the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, with the expectation of meeting with the Falcons on Friday.

The Falcons were largely considered to be front-runners for the former Ravens head coach, and some major outlets listed them as the outright favorite to land the post. The idea that they were also in the market for a general manager, in a winnable division, and already have a firm roster in place were highlights for Atlanta, but not enough to lure the Super Bowl-winning coach to Flowery Branch.

Now, the Falcons will be forced to look at other options. Fortunately for them, there will be no shortage of candidates who could suit the franchise well. While Harbaugh operated on an accelerated timeline, most teams will likely take their time selecting their next head coach.

Many of these candidates are still coaching their teams in the postseason, so their potential is still potentially weeks away from being fully explored.

In-person interviews with assistants who are under contract with other teams can begin on Monday (Jan 19), unless those teams are still alive for the conference title games. If they did advance, the deadline would then extend to January 26, for when those teams are either eliminated from the playoffs or in the midst of their bye week before the Super Bowl.

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For assistants in the Super Bowl, they are not permitted to interview in person during that bye week unless they have completed a virtual interview in January.

The Falcons may have missed on their top target, but it should dissuade fans from being excited about what the next guy up has to offer.