Ravens Miss Out On Top HC Candidate

The Baltimore Ravens are fully-intent on hunting anywhere they can for their new head coach.

Candidates with full head coaching reps or just a few years of coordinating experience, professionals both remaining in the playoffs and long-eliminated, have remained under consideration by Baltimore's front office amidst their search for a John Harbaugh replacement. They know their opening is one of the best that this hiring cycle has to offer, and they're going all-out in speaking to as many options as they like and as often as they can.

Unfortunately, they're not alone in the hiring jungle. Eight other NFL squads entered similar races within days of the offseason (or in the Pittsburgh Steelers' case, a day after their elimination from the playoffs), and they're each competing for the same big names. And on Saturday evening, the Ravens got poached.

The Atlanta Falcons made news by agreeing to terms with former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski as their new top man on the sideline. It wasn't the first big headline of the offseason, with the New York Giants beating everyone in the sprint for Harbaugh, but this directly eliminated one of the Ravens' top targets.

ESPN sources: the Atlanta Falcons are finalizing a deal to hire Kevin Stefanski as their new head coach. The two-time NFL Coach of the Year flew to Atlanta on Saturday, and now will stay on to take over the Falcons’ head coaching job. pic.twitter.com/1Kc4MKygos
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 18, 2026

Baltimore's Change of Plans

The Ravens reportedly planned on bringing Stefanski in for a second conversation after initially meeting with him in the previous week, but they had to wait for the two-time Coach of the Year to depart Atlanta to get in line for another sit-down.

He built a good-enough case for himself as arguably the biggest non-Harbaugh name on the market, having spent his six seasons in charge of the Browns by leading a few noteworthy defenses while producing multiple playoff trips. He'll finally adopt a few high-profile offensive weapons in Bijan Robinson, Drake London and the rest of the Falcons' playmakers, but he'll once again have to embark on finding the right quarterback for the job.

That's the position he passed on in Baltimore. The Ravens, for all of their warts, already have someone capable of leading a contending team under center in Lamar Jackson, a multiple-time MVP in his own right whose relationship with Harbaugh burned out over years of disappointments.

Former Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh and Quarterback Lamar Jackson — Oct 1, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh talks with quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The Ravens still have yet to conclude their initial round of interviews. San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh will be a lot easier to access now that his team's out of the postseason dance, but those looking to fuel deeper trips into the playoffs won't make the Ravens' research any easier. The Falcons saw no reason to wait once they found their man, forcing a change of plans out of a Ravens front office that's still exploring their options.

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