How John Harbaugh Just Completely Reset the Falcons Plans

John Harbaugh just became priority No. 1 for several franchises after the Baltimore Ravens parted with their long-time head coach on Tuesday, and the Atlanta Falcons should also be on that list.

Harbaugh, 64, has been the head coach in Baltimore for the last 18 seasons. In that time, he has grown into one of the NFL’s top coaches, having won 193 games (which ranks 12th all-time), with 11 double-digit win seasons, 12 playoff appearances, and a Super Bowl in 2012-13.

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For reference, the Falcons have had just 17 winning seasons in franchise history. Harbaugh has had 13 winning records since 2008.

The Ravens parted ways with him, in large part, due to his recent struggles in the postseason (just one AFC Championship Game appearance since 2012) and the late-game collapses (his 46 blown fourth-quarter is tied for second in that span).

Regardless of those issues, the Ravens have turned into a consistent winner with Harbaugh in charge. Teams will recognize that and make him a priority during this cycle, should he choose to coach. ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that several teams have already pushed him to the top of their list. The NFL insider also reported that seven teams have contacted his agent, even though only six other teams publicly have openings.

Now, it will turn into a bit of a popularity contest to see who can attract Harbaugh to their franchise next season.

Atlanta should be considered an attractive option for coaches this cycle. Of the teams with openings (aside from the Ravens, for obvious reasons), no team feels closer to the playoffs than the Falcons. They have some question marks at quarterback that need to be addressed, but they play in a winnable division and have several cornerstone pieces on both offense and defense.

The team is looking to move in a new direction in 2026, with several structural changes to the franchise. A statement hire would help that decision look good, and no candidate would be considered a bigger fish than Harbaugh.

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The Falcons officially moved on from head coach Raheem Morris on Sunday night, and the important offseason decision looms. As the Falcons search for their fourth head coach in seven seasons, the focus has now shifted to who could be tasked with ending an eight-year playoff drought in 2026.

Seven coaches were hired last offseason, and three of those teams have made a run to the postseason in 2025 – somewhere the Falcons have not been since 2017. The Falcons will be hoping they can find their Mike Vrabel, Ben Johnson, or Liam Coen over the next weeks.

The search for the next generation of leadership of the Falcons will begin right away, and they confirmed that ZRG Partners will assist with the search. An updated list of candidates that the Falcons have contacted can be found here.