John Harbaugh on Longtime Division Rival’s Radar for Head Coaching Job

An AFC North team is reportedly interested in its former tormentor.

Could John Harbaugh return to his Midwestern roots? / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

From the day he took over the Ravens in 2008 until the team parted ways with him on Tuesday, coach John Harbaugh had the Browns’ number—going 28–8 against his native Ohio’s oldest team.

Now, Cleveland appears to want to use Harbaugh’s coaching savvy for its own purposes. The Browns have reached out to Harbaugh with the intention of scheduling an interview, according to a Saturday morning report from Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

Harbaugh, 63, has quickly become the hottest name in the coaching carousel this offseason. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, seven different teams have attempted to schedule interviews, though he noted that Harbaugh would not interview with all of them.

The last time an NFL team other than Baltimore employed Harbaugh was 2007, when he concluded a 10-year tenure on the Eagles’ staff. Harbaugh went 180–113 with the Ravens, leading them to a Super Bowl championship in 2012.

Cleveland, on the other hand, fired coach Kevin Stefanski after a 5–12 campaign in 2025. The Browns have been one of the league’s worst teams since re-entering the league in 1999, making just three playoff appearances (2002, 2020 and ‘23) and winning just one game (a ‘20 wild-card game over the Steelers).

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