Ravens Dive Deeper Into Kevin Stefanski Bidding War

The Baltimore Ravens set themselves up for a lengthy process to hire their next head coach when they compiled an extensive list of their top potential John Harbaugh replacements, but it appears that they're invested enough in a few choice candidates to try scheduling second interviews midway through their docket.

Kevin Stefanski has sustained as one of the biggest non-Harbaugh names in this ongoing hiring cycle, the first candidate with recent NFL head coaching experience to speak with Baltimore's front office. He impressed over a half-dozen up-and-down seasons with the Cleveland Browns, and has already done enough to earn himself a fresh round of interviews in the eyes of hungry teams.

The Ravens aren't alone in their pursuit of the 2x Coach of the Year, with the Atlanta Falcons beating Baltimore to the punch in inviting the former Brown in for another conversation. The Tennessee Titans are also expected to speak with Stefanski shortly thereafter, while the Ravens and Miami Dolphins remain on the prowl to get him within their buildings sometime within the coming days.

Kevin Stefanski is visiting with the Falcons for his second interview this afternoon, then he’ll head to Nashville. Both Miami and Baltimore are trying to get him back in-person by Wednesday.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 17, 2026

Even while all other signs point towards the Ravens entrusting a less-weathered coordinator as their head coach, Stefanski remains attractive for how he managed a generally-tenuous situation in Cleveland over six hard-fought years.

While he was saddled with several losing seasons, including just eight wins over his last two seasons as the Browns' top coach, his hiring would act as a counter to how the Harbaugh administration ended. He had more authority than your average coach, a perk of his 18 years on the job and the Super Bowl XLVII ring on his finger, whereas Stefanski had to put up with the Browns' usual sloppily-run management.

He had to constantly cycle through quarterbacks over his time in Cleveland, somehow scratching to multiple 11-win campaigns and two different playoff berths in 2020 and 2023. He memorably beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in his postseason debut with Baker Mayfield at the helm, and overcame the Deshaun Watson fiasco behind an inspiring spot stint out of old Ravens friend, Joe Flacco. A steady, Myles Garrett-led defense remained throughout, helping to guide Stefanski and co. to a defense ranked within the top half of the NFL in four of his six Browns seasons.

What's Different about Baltimore?

Stefanski sounds likely to receive a second chance at a head coaching gig in the league, where he'll get his choice at a hand better than the one he was dealt in Cleveland.

Should he and the Ravens agree to terms on a deal, he'll finally get a ready-made quarterback to partner with in Lamar Jackson to guide future playoff pushes. After all, he built his coaching brand on the offensive side of the ball, though Baltimore is short on impactful playmakers outside of the reliable, if not aging, Derrick Henry, as well as the rollercoaster ride that is Zay Flowers.

Former Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh and Former Cleveland Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski — Jan 4, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; The Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and the Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski react after the game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

He's not without his similarities to Harbaugh, though. Stefanski is about the same age as Harbaugh was when he once accepted Baltimore's post, but the former Browns coach has largely delegated play-calling duties to the offensive coordinators over recent years while overlooking a squad that was pretty prone to pelanties themselves.

Should the Ravens be convinced by Stefanski's approach, they'll need to understand how he plans on fixing a similar issue in Baltimore, as well as the schematic advantage that teams are getting with him. It's clear that the Ravens' executives are set veering right back into the values that made them great in the first place, and assuming they can get Stefanski back for another go-around at interviewing, they can continue inching closer to making the offseason's biggest decision.

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