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The NFL coaching carousel is in full swing. With Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh departing the Steelers and Ravens, respectively, after being the longest-tenured coaches in the league, it’s a particularly active hiring cycle. Harbaugh appears to be the first domino to fall, reportedly finalizing a deal with the New York Giants after interviewing in person Wednesday at the team’s facility. That leaves eight remaining head coach openings. Who will fill them? Here are our predictions: Ravens Jesse Minter, Chargers defensive coordinator Why he fits: Minter’s profile is very similar to current Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, who also coached under both Harbaugh brothers with the University of Michigan and the Ravens before becoming a head coach. Minter completed an interview with the Ravens on Wednesday. Given how successful Macdonald has been in Seattle and with Baltimore seeking to reclaim its defensive identity after disappointing results under young coordinator Zach Orr, Minter makes a lot of sense as Harbaugh’s replacement. The 42-year-old’s defenses have ranked ninth and 10th, respectively, in defense-adjusted value over average in his first two seasons as an NFL play caller. Coaching is in his blood, too. His father, Rick, is a senior defensive analyst with the Chargers and was the head coach for 10 years at the University of Cincinnati. Why he might not fit: Minter has nearly 20 years of experience coaching in college and the NFL, but he’s never been a head coach. That’s not unusual, but with the Ravens replacing an 18-year veteran like Harbaugh, perhaps some familiarity as a program leader matters. And while Minter’s Harbaugh connections might work in his favor across the league, perhaps the Ravens are looking for a clean break from the famous football family and don’t want anyone associated with the Harbaugh coaching tree. There’s also the question of who Minter hires to lead his offense. Given how important that position will be in working with two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson, his answer could determine his viability in Baltimore. Pittsburgh Steelers Chris Shula, Rams defensive coordinator Why he fits: The Steelers will be hiring just their fourth coach since 1969, so longevity is a must. Shula, 39, could stick around for a long time given his background and previous success. The grandson of legendary coach Don Shula led the league’s No. 4 defense according to DVOA this season powered by a strong defensive front. The Steelers boast T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Keeanu Benton and Derrick Harmon and have long prided themselves on playing tough defense. Why he might not fit: While defense has routinely been a strong suit for Pittsburgh, the offense has been inconsistent ever since Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell departed. Quarterback has also been a revolving door, with Aaron Rodgers providing some stability in 2025 but his future uncertain at 42 years old. There’s no guarantee that Shula is interested in taking over a team without a legitimate quarterback already in place. If he is, there’s the question of who he’ll bring with him to run his offense. Given his background in the Sean McVay coaching tree, there should at least be some enticing options, including young head coaching candidate Nate Scheelhaase. Cleveland Browns Jim Schwartz, Browns defensive coordinator Why he fits: The Baltimore County native and Mount Saint Joseph graduate is already plenty familiar with the organization, having served as Cleveland’s defensive coordinator for three seasons. That familiarity with the Haslam family ownership and general manager Andrew Berry could elevate him to the top role, especially considering that the Browns’ defense has been among the league’s best under his direction while the offense struggled under previous coach Kevin Stefanski. Keeping Schwartz, who led the Detroit Lions to the playoffs once in his five seasons as coach, would at least ensure that one side of the ball is in good hands. Related Articles Giants, former Ravens coach John Harbaugh finalizing deal John Harbaugh interviews in person for Giants’ coaching vacancy Watch Episode 21 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law Ravens GM Eric DeCosta’s job is safe. He knows they have to own mistakes. Surprised but not shocked, Steelers prepare for life after Mike Tomlin Why he might not fit: For as good as Schwartz’s defenses have been with star pass rusher Myles Garrett leading the charge, the Browns won just seven combined games over the past two seasons. There’s also the longtime search for a franchise quarterback to consider, with Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders still unproven coming off their rookie seasons and Deshaun Watson still under contract. Unless Schwartz can prove that he has a plan to find a quarterback and fix the offense, he might only be considered as a defensive coordinator. Arizona Cardinals Matt Nagy, Chiefs offensive coordinator Why he fits: The Cardinals struck out by hiring a defensive coordinator from a Super Bowl staff with Jonathan Gannon. Why not try an offensive coordinator from one of the league’s most successful teams? Fans might remember Nagy’s Bears tenure mostly for the “double doink” playoff loss to the Eagles, but he went 34-33 in his four seasons in Chicago with Mitchell Trubisky and Justin Fields as his quarterbacks. For a team like the Cardinals that has made just one playoff appearance in the past 10 seasons, that resume might be attractive. Nagy’s background with Andy Reid and experience working with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City could appeal to Arizona, which must decide whether to keep Kyler Murray or begin a search for a new quarterback. Why he might not fit: For a team trying to sell its fan base on a promising new era, hiring a retread coach might not be the best move — especially in a division with Macdonald, Kyle Shanahan and McVay. Nagy is only 47, but his experience with the Bears could be held against him as proof that he’s not cut out to be a head coach. He also hasn’t called plays during his recent tenure in Kansas City, with Reid handling those duties. Atlanta Falcons Anthony Weaver, Dolphins defensive coordinator Why he fits: For a young and ascending defense that just brought in two standout rookies in Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., Weaver could be the perfect coach to help take Atlanta to the next level. The 45-year-old former Ravens assistant has more than 10 years of experience coaching in the NFL and recorded 15 1/2 sacks as a defensive end with Baltimore and Houston. His expertise as both a player and coach is valuable, especially for a league skewing younger with head coaching hires who can relate to players. Why he might not fit: The Falcons talked with Bill Belichick before hiring Raheem Morris in 2024 and have been linked to Harbaugh. Maybe owner Arthur Blank wants a proven veteran as coach, and Weaver has no experience in the top role. Las Vegas Raiders Kevin Stefanski, former Browns coach Why he fits: The Raiders have the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and will presumably take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. They’ll need a coach who can develop him, and Stefanski fits the bill. In Cleveland, Stefanski made the playoffs with both 25-year-old Baker Mayfield and 38-year-old Joe Flacco. Early in his Browns tenure, his offenses consistently ran the ball well and relied on play-action passing. That would make life easier for a young quarterback. Ex-Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, shown on the sideline in December, is considered a candidate for several job openings. (Kirk Irwin/AP) As a time-time NFL Coach of the Year, Stefanski often outperformed expectations in Cleveland. Las Vegas needs to do more with less to have any hope of competing with the Broncos, Chiefs and Chargers in the AFC West. Why he might not fit: Stefanski’s offenses struggled in 2024 and 2025, though much of that was because of poor quarterback play, offensive line injuries and a lack of playmakers. Raiders general manager John Spytek and part-owner Tom Brady will have to decide whether Stefanski was undone by his circumstances in Cleveland and still has untapped potential. Tennessee Titans Klint Kubiak, Seahawks offensive coordinator Why he fits: The Titans have promising young quarterback Cam Ward, a new stadium coming and a respected general manager in Mike Borgonzi. In short, it’s an attractive landing spot. Kubiak is one of the hottest candidates this hiring cycle after helping lead Sam Darnold and the Seahawks to the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Though Darnold led the league with 20 turnovers, Seattle ran the ball effectively behind Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet and produced the NFL’s leading receiver in Jaxon Smith-Njigba (1,793 yards). Why he might not fit: There are several factors at play, but Darnold was one of the league’s worst quarterbacks down the stretch of the season. Whether that was opposing defenses figuring something out in Kubiak’s scheme or Darnold’s own weaknesses, it’s enough of a red flag considering that he’s only called plays for two seasons at the NFL level. Miami Dolphins Robert Saleh, 49ers defensive coordinator Why he fits: For a team that has faced questions about its toughness for years, especially in cold weather, Saleh could provide an exciting new culture. The Dolphins’ defense has some strong building blocks in Bradley Chubb, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Chop Robinson, Zach Sieler, Jordyn Brooks and Kenneth Grant. It might even have more talent than what Saleh, 46, had down the stretch in San Francisco after the 49ers were ravaged by injuries, and they still went 12-5 and beat the defending champion Eagles in the wild-card round. While Saleh’s tenure as Jets coach was filled with disappointment, that was largely because of the offense’s ineptitude and Aaron Rodgers’ meddling. Saleh is a proven defensive coach who could be an effective program builder if given another chance. Why he might not fit: After seeing what life was like with a proven quarterback in New York, Saleh might not be eager to take over a team with a big question mark at the position. Tua Tagovailoa carries a $56 million cap hit next season, and it’s unclear whether star wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and other high-priced veterans will be back. There are a lot of holes on the roster, and competing in the AFC East with Buffalo and New England will take some serious work. Have a news tip? Contact C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said Tuesday that one of the things that made it easier for him to fire John Harbaugh was that he wasn’t worried about the coach “landing on his feet” for his next opportunity. He also didn’t have to wait long to do so. Harbaugh is finalizing an agreement to become the coach of the New York Giants, according to multiple reports early Thursday morning. ESPN, which was the first to report the development, said that the deal is not final and that contract numbers still are being negotiated. Harbaugh, 63, replaces Brian Daboll, who was fired in November after a 20-40-1 record across three-plus seasons, including a 2-8 mark this season. Harbaugh, who was relieved of his duties on Jan. 6 after 18 seasons in Baltimore, is considered not just a significant upgrade but New York’s most prominent hire in decades. That the two sides came together relatively quickly was also not a surprise. The Giants have made the playoffs just twice over the past 14 seasons, with just one postseason win in that span. Harbaugh is the winningest coach in Ravens history, and his 180 regular-season victories rank 14th all-time. He also won a Super Bowl, coached Baltimore to a dozen playoff appearances, including four trips to the AFC title game, and had only three losing seasons with the Ravens, including this year after Baltimore finished 8-9 and out of the playoffs for the first time since 2021. By comparison, the Giants have had just three winning seasons since their Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots in February 2012. In that time, New York has cycled through six coaches since parting ways with Tom Coughlin in January 2016. The Giants and Harbaugh also immediately looked at each other fondly once he became available. Harbaugh has a long-standing relationship with the Mara family, including Giants co-owner, president and chief executive John Mara. John’s brother Chris, a senior personnel consultant with the organization, also flew to Baltimore to meet with Harbaugh on Sunday. On Wednesday, Harbaugh formally met with the Giants at their headquarters in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and the two sides quickly consummated a deal. Aside from his ties to the Mara family, Harbaugh, a historian of the league, also views the Giants as a legacy franchise. They also have a roster with intriguing talent, including quarterback Jaxson Dart, who in 12 games as a rookie completed 63.7% of his passes for 2,272 yards with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also ran for 487 yards and nine more scores on 86 carries. In Baltimore, Harbaugh helped develop Lamar Jackson, one of the game’s most dynamic and prolific players, into a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player who, under offensive coordinator Todd Monken two seasons ago, became the first player to pass for over 4,000 yards and rush for at least 900 in the same season while also throwing a career-high 41 touchdown passes. Whether Harbaugh brings Monken with him to New York remains to be seen, but the veteran coach is not expected to be back with the Ravens, who are still searching for their next coach from more than 15 candidates. Related Articles John Harbaugh interviews in person for Giants’ coaching vacancy Watch Episode 21 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law Ravens GM Eric DeCosta’s job is safe. He knows they have to own mistakes. Surprised but not shocked, Steelers prepare for life after Mike Tomlin 3 takeaways from Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and GM Eric DeCosta It is also unclear how much Harbaugh will reshape the Giants’ staff, including on the personnel side, but he had a good deal of input on player decisions in Baltimore and is likely to have the same with New York and general manager Joe Schoen. More than anything, though, he will look to instill a culture of accountability and winning in a franchise that needs both. During his tenure in Baltimore, the Ravens had some of the best defenses in NFL history. His special teams expertise from his days in that role with the Philadelphia Eagles before being hired by Bisciotti in 2008 gave the Ravens a unique edge. His offenses adapted, too, from drop-back quarterback in Joe Flacco to the mobile Jackson and from a ball-control, run-heavy scheme to a more wide-open one that in 2024 became the first to have at least 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in the same season. Though his message had perhaps become stale and results regressed in recent years, he also had not lost the locker room in Baltimore and was a central figure in helping build an organization that many around the league have envied for its stability, consistency and commitment. The Giants weren’t the only team interested in Harbaugh. The Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans were both also in contact with Harbaugh and his agent, Bryan Harlan. In the end, though, New York, with a young roster that has some talent, a promising quarterback and the opportunity to lead one of the league’s oldest and most storied franchises, was too appealing to turn down. Harbaugh, who was just the third coach in Ravens history, now becomes the 24th coach in Giants history and will look to restore them to their former glory. Baltimore and New York aren’t scheduled to face each other in the regular season until 2028. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

John Harbaugh interviewed in person with the New York Giants for their head coaching vacancy, according to a person familiar with the situation. Harbaugh was at the team facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey, for most of the day Wednesday, the person said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team was not announcing its interviews. The Super Bowl-winning former Ravens coach is believed to be the Giants’ top candidate, but they are far from the only NFL club interested in his services. Harbaugh has also spoken to the Atlanta Falcons, who recently hired retired quarterback Matt Ryan as their president of football. Young QB Jaxson Dart, one of the biggest draws for New York coming off his impressive rookie season, was reportedly involved in meetings with Harbaugh. Dart threw for 15 touchdowns and ran for nine more in 12 starts. Giants general manager Joe Schoen said he would cast a wide net for the full-time replacement for Brian Daboll, who was fired Nov. 10 with the team off to a 2-8 start. Interviews of former Atlanta coach Raheem Morris and retired linebacker Antonio Pierce, who most recently coached the Las Vegas Raiders, satisfy the Rooney Rule for diverse external candidates and would allow the Giants to make any hire they choose at this point. View the full article

Episode 21 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law is here. Preston and Coleman analyze Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti’s comments at Tuesday’s end-of-season news conference. Bisciotti explained why he fired longtime coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons with the team, while also sharing what he wants from the franchise’s next coach. You can watch the podcast weekly, posting every Tuesday during the NFL season on YouTube and The Baltimore Sun, and listen on Spotify, Apple, Amazon and iHeart. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

Among the most direct disclosures of organizational thinking that emanated from Tuesday’s end-of-season news conference was Steve Bisciotti’s firm backing of general manager Eric DeCosta. “I think Eric is one of the best GMs in the league,” Bisciotti said. “I think he’s batting .800. I’m just making up a number for you, but I’m not going to look at Eric’s 200 whiffs. I’ll look at his 800 singles and doubles and home runs. To me, that’s fair. I’m very, very pleased with Eric.” DeCosta sat beside Bisciotti and let his owner do most of the talking. He wore a black sweater and firm demeanor, broken a few times by blushing cheeks or a toothy laugh. DeCosta called these past six months a “very disappointing season,” then picked apart a few ways the Ravens fell short. They were inconsistent from game to game, sometimes half to half. The pass rush didn’t put enough pressure on the quarterback. The offensive line didn’t jell in ways they expected. Everyone underachieved, DeCosta said, from the coaching staff to the scouting staff to the players. “I think it was across the board, and we have to own that, and I think we will,” DeCosta said. “We’re excited about it. We’ve been in this position before, many times over the last 30 years where we’ve had to rebuild and tweak and change and adjust and really look at ourselves and say, ‘What can we do better?’ I think it starts with me; it starts with the new coaching staff; and I think the players will be accountable as well.” There were, of course, factors out of Baltimore’s control. All-Pro defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, the team’s sacks leader two seasons ago, suffered a season-ending injury that caused a ripple effect to the rest of the defensive front. Then Broderick Washington went down for the year and DeCosta traded away Odafe Oweh, who was sackless in five games as a Raven but hit double digits as a Charger between the regular season and playoffs. DeCosta traded for Dre’Mont Jones to inject juice but it wasn’t enough. By January, what was left of the Ravens’ pass rush ranked 30th in sacks, 28th in pass rush win rate and 29th in pressure to sack rate. DeCosta pointed out how better pressure could’ve alleviated some of the defense’s back-end issues that were a point of frustration down the stretch. “I think Madubuike is part of the reason why Kyle Van Noy went from [12 1/2] sacks to two,” Bisciotti chimed in. “I think it was a domino effect; I think it was a trickle effect. … And I think those offensive linemen didn’t improve. And so, when I said the coaches, that’s what I meant. I think that you can look at a lot of guys on our team that we had expected to take the next step that did not take that next step. And we’ve got to get to the bottom of that with coaching and scouting.” Outside of drafting third-round rookie Emery Jones Jr, who appeared in just five games, offensive line was one of DeCosta’s least addressed position groups. The team expected development for a front anchored by two Pro Bowl blockers (Ronnie Stanley and Tyler Linderbaum) and a promising sophomore (Roger Rosengarten). That didn’t quite pan out. Lamar Jackson’s lack of mobility playing through injury only hurt their overall metrics. Baltimore’s front five finished the regular season 31st in pressure rate allowed, according to NFL analyst Sam Hoppen. Related Articles Surprised but not shocked, Steelers prepare for life after Mike Tomlin 3 takeaways from Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and GM Eric DeCosta Ravens’ rebuilding plan hinges on Lamar Jackson: ‘We want another window’ Josh Tolentino: Ravens are ready to negotiate. Lamar Jackson remains a wild card. | COMMENTARY Chargers fire ex-Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman after playoff loss Tuesday was the first time DeCosta answered questions about his club since August. It was Bisciotti’s first in that formal setting since 2018. They were candid about what went wrong and issued a plan for how to rebound. That starts with Jackson’s contract. Whether the Ravens can strike a deal in the next two months will determine what’s possible. They hope to avoid what is currently set to climb from $43.5 million to $74.5 million this offseason, a value that would account for roughly one-quarter of the team’s cap space. Bisciotti and DeCosta put the ball in Jackson’s court. “We want another window, and Lamar knows that,” Bisciotti said. “I think he is amenable to doing something that mirrors the last deal that he did, although the annual number will be a little higher. But I’m hoping that it’s plug in your number in the same contract he signed [in 2023] and move on.” Bisciotti doesn’t want to hit free agency, which opens on March 11, with that contract hanging over their heads. He made that very clear to Jackson. DeCosta admitted they’ve been more reserved in free agency the past few years. He promised they will participate this spring and “we will trade for players.” Urgency is at an all-time high in Owings Mills. That starts with the coaching hire(s), then sorting out Jackson’s contract, and if they reach a team-friendly deal, building out the rest of a Super Bowl worthy roster. “I know that Eric has been very, very introspective about his failures and how they contributed to our dear friend being shown the door,” Bisciotti said. “And so, nobody’s harder on himself than Eric.” DeCosta’s job is safe. And Bisciotti is leaning on him to alleviate the pressure of the next coach and guide the transition process. “I think I can leave him alone for a while,” Bisciotti said. That is, as long as he continues to hit singles, doubles and a few roster home runs. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. Ravens executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta, shown at Tuesday's news conference, says he'll use all avenues available to him to improve the roster ahead of next season. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) View the full article

PITTSBURGH — Art Rooney II sensed Mike Tomlin might be ready for a change. Nineteen years doing any job is a long time, let alone in the white-hot spotlight that comes with coaching the Pittsburgh Steelers. So when Tomlin walked into Rooney’s office on Tuesday and told his longtime boss he was stepping down after a largely successful run that included one Super Bowl victory, an appearance in another and 19 straight non-losing seasons, Rooney wasn’t shocked. “He was pretty clear about what his intentions were,” Rooney said Wednesday as the Steelers began the process of hiring just their fourth head coach since 1969. “We had a great conversation, and I understood where he was.” Rooney described the impetus behind Tomlin’s decision as “more family-related than football-related” and stressed the team was “certainly willing to make another run at it next year with Mike.” Tomlin went 193-114-2 in Pittsburgh, tied with Hall of Famer Chuck Noll for the ninth most regular-season wins in NFL history. Tomlin arrived in Pittsburgh in January 2007 as a relative unknown 34-year-old defensive coordinator. He left as the longest-tenured head coach in major North American professional sports with a resume that will receive strong Hall of Fame consideration of its own, even if he never coaches another game. Whether that happens is anyone’s guess, though Rooney said it was his understanding that Tomlin does not intend to coach in 2026. A future in television, even if it serves as merely a breather before the 53-year-old married father of three returns to the sideline, could be in the offing. Rooney did not try to talk Tomlin out of the decision, saying instead that the club is “grateful” for the way Tomlin carried himself both on and off the field during what Rooney described as a “winning era” for one of the league’s most visible franchises. That era, however, ended with the Steelers in a rut. Their season-ending 30-6 loss to Houston in the first round of the playoffs on Monday night marked Pittsburgh’s sixth straight one-and-done postseason appearance, all of them by multiple scores. “I can’t explain the more recent history there,” Rooney said. “It’s hard to explain, given the overall track record. Frustrating for all of us, mostly for Mike.” Fans inside Acrisure Stadium didn’t hesitate to voice their displeasure at times this season, chanting “Fire Tomlin!” on multiple occasions, including in the waning minutes against the Texans. Asked if those playoff failures factored into Tomlin’s decision to walk away, Rooney demurred. He also declined to get into specifics about what might happen should Tomlin want to return to coaching in 2027. Tomlin exited while still under team control for two more years, with the club holding the option for 2027. During the rare occasions the Steelers have found themselves looking for a head coach, they often have been looking for a certain type. Noll, Tomlin and Bill Cowher were all defensive coordinators in their 30s when Pittsburgh plucked them from relative anonymity. They all left with at least one Super Bowl ring. It’s far too early in the process for the club to start whittling down the field for a job that figures to be among the most coveted of the nine current head coach vacancies in the NFL, considering the Rooney family’s track record of giving coaches ample time to find their footing. “Can I sign up for another Chuck Noll or another Bill Cowher or another Mike Tomlin or somebody that we feel fits that mold? [That] would be great,” Rooney said. Rooney essentially ruled out any of the staff Tomlin left behind — including offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who has been contacted by Tennessee about its opening — from being a candidate to replace Tomlin, though it’s possible they may have an opportunity to stick around in some capacity if they mesh with the new hire. Whoever takes over will be given the same “the standard is the standard” mandate that Tomlin embraced, though it led to diminishing returns in his final years. “There will be changes, and we’ll have to all get comfortable with kind of the plans,” Rooney said. “Whether you call it a ‘rebuild’ or not, I don’t like that word that much. We’ll try to compete Day 1 if we can.” That plan seems unlikely to include Aaron Rodgers. The 42-year-old who helped guide the Steelers to the AFC North title will be a free agent in March, and Rodgers made it clear from the moment he arrived last June that Tomlin’s presence was the main reason he signed, a sentiment Rooney echoed on Wednesday. Rooney declined to put a timeline on a potential hire, though he expects it to be before the NFL combine in late February. The Steelers have the 21st overall pick in the draft, which they will be hosting for the first time. The club has long pointed to the draft as an opportunity to select its next franchise quarterback, something that has proven elusive since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement in January 2022. The discussion about the quarterbacks “will be an important one” when Rooney and general manager Omar Khan meet with prospective candidates. Whatever quarterback/coach combination walks onto the field at Acrisure Stadium next fall will be tasked with helping the franchise emerge from a decade of purgatory in which it has been good but not nearly good enough, and do so quickly. “I’m not going to say, ‘Well, we’re going to take a couple years to figure this out, and then we’ll try and compete,’” Rooney said. “So I think you try every year. Some years you have the horses to really get there, some years you don’t. But you try.” View the full article

On Tuesday afternoon, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and general manager Eric DeCosta spent roughly an hour fielding questions about another disappointing end to a season that begot a head coach firing. Insights abound. Here are three takeaways: Harbaugh’s tenure ended with the ‘craziest firing in the world’ Bisciotti first spoke with DeCosta about the possibility of an organizational shake-up maybe three or four weeks before the season ended. The Ravens were down on the mat. Confidence waned in their ability to get up and reach the playoffs. It wasn’t until Baltimore’s heartbreaking Week 18 loss in Pittsburgh that Bisciotti was certain that it was time to move on from John Harbaugh. He woke up the morning after “pretty sure” he was going to do it. Bisciotti consulted front office members as well as several veteran players. A day later, he phoned his coach of 18 seasons. “I never dreamed of firing somebody by phone,” Bisciotti said. What followed, he later described half-jokingly as “the craziest firing in the world.” Bisciotti delivered the news and apologized for doing it over the phone. Harbaugh told him he had no reason to be sorry, saying, “You don’t owe me anything. You gave me 18 years. You picked a special teams guy. Who does that?” Harbaugh told Bisciotti he was equal parts happy and content and disappointed. Bisciotti started to get emotional. His fired coach consoled him. The call didn’t last very long. Some front office members previously pledged support for keeping Harbaugh, who coached Baltimore to a Super Bowl title and has the second-most playoff game appearances (24) of any NFL coach since 2008. This was ultimately Bisciotti’s choice. He listened to his gut, deviating from what some of his partners believed. By Tuesday, he was “pretty damn sure” that he would not come to regret the decision. Bisciotti followed up with Harbaugh two days after firing him. On a longer phone call, Bisciotti rehashed, in part, all the negative narratives of the past few years: blown fourth-quarter leads and playoff regression that labeled the Ravens “underperformers.” Seeing a sector of the fanbase’s online vitriol toward Harbaugh ate away at Bisciotti. The call wasn’t all doom and gloom. They shared plenty of success together but both knew it was time. “I felt it was the right time to make the change. If not now, when? I guess is what I’m saying,” Bisciotti said. “I thought, ‘If I’m already here, and my gut is telling me it’s time, why would I let John rebuild an entire staff?’ Because I’m going to be sitting here next year saying, ‘What the hell did I do last year? Last year was the time.’ So, it wouldn’t have been fair, because I think we had run our course. “The next coach we get, I want him to be a Super Bowl-winning coach, too. God bless him if he can rise up to the level John did and be staring at a gold jacket.” Baltimore isn’t pigeon-holing itself with this coaching search Within hours of Harbaugh’s firing, Hall of Fame coach turned broadcast analyst Tony Dungy posted on X that he simply did not understand Bisciotti’s decision. “He was fired????” Dungy wrote. “I’m sorry but I don’t understand. Good luck Baltimore in finding a better coach.” Bisciotti nearly called Dungy. Instead, he waited for Tuesday, in a room full of cameras and reporters, to push back. “I literally wanted to call Tony and say, ‘Do you remember John 18 years ago? How can you take our success and use it against me while we’re out trying to find the next John Harbaugh?’” Bisciotti said. “That’s impossible.” Related Articles Ravens’ rebuilding plan hinges on Lamar Jackson: ‘We want another window’ Josh Tolentino: Ravens are ready to negotiate. Lamar Jackson remains a wild card. | COMMENTARY Chargers fire ex-Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman after playoff loss Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti’s exit plan? Win big and ‘get the hell out.’ Ravens owner ‘very intrigued’ by top coach candidates from previous cycles When the Ravens hired Harbaugh, he was a relatively unknown 45-year-old special teams coach in Philadelphia. Bisciotti took a chance on his first head coaching hire because he saw something in him. With his second hire, he isn’t necessarily holding out for the safe bet former head coach. Bisciotti, who is sitting out the initial round of Zoom interviews but will be part of the discussion for in-person meetings, said he won’t be turned off by losing records at previous stops. The Ravens group at the forefront of this decision — Bisciotti, DeCosta, president Sashi Brown and executive vice president Ozzie Newsome — are prepared for the possibility of backlash for hiring a coach who might have had a losing record at a previous stop. Among the eight candidates interviewed as of Tuesday, that could include Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, former Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury or former Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, among others. Failure is not without circumstances. Ravens brass won’t let a coach’s first try negatively influence their shot at a second one if they believe that’s the right person for Baltimore. Beyond that, Bisciotti didn’t gush over the idea of an offensive wiz kid. He didn’t sound particularly invested in the idea of hiring a top-flight defensive coordinator ready to make the jump either. What about a retread head coach? “I really couldn’t care [less],” Bisciotti said. “We want leaders,” DeCosta chimed in. “We want the best leader we can find. We want somebody who’s going to hold the players accountable. We want somebody who’s an expert in X’s and O’s, and we want somebody who the players can relate to, but also somebody that’s going to be firm and continue the culture that we’ve build, which we think is important.” With this next coach, patience is a virtue Brian Billick was hired as head coach of the Ravens in January 1999. Two years later, he won a Super Bowl. Harbaugh was hired in 2008. Five years later, he delivered Baltimore’s second title. “Maybe I’ll give this guy six [years],” Bisciotti cackled. In all seriousness, he’s willing to be patient with a new coach trying to get this team to the big game in February. Bisciotti didn’t give a serious timeline. He was clear, both in his statement after relieving Harbaugh and again a week later, that championships matter above all else. “I think we have a roster that’s capable of it,” Bisciotti said. “I think we have a GM that’s capable of making that roster better on the fly, and yes, I’ll be patient to that point. I’d probably give him five or six years — as long as I like everything else I see in him.” Bisciotti has no interest in sitting at that same table inside the Under Armour Performance Center to field questions about another fired coach three or four years from now. A few of his owner peers around the league do that. To Bisciotti, “that’s hell on Earth.” So his plan, as of mid-January, is pick a coach they’re so confident in that they’re willing to grant a decent amount of patience. That will require a balancing act from organizational higher ups. They’ll act with urgency knowing the window of Lamar Jackson’s prime will only be open for so many more years. Jackson just turned 29 and he’s coming off the most disappointing season of his career, which was largely because of injuries. Derrick Henry isn’t getting any younger either. At 32, it doesn’t appear he’s slowing down, but eventually Father Time comes knocking. He’ll come for the 65-year-old Bisciotti too. Asked whether he intends to own the team 10 or 15 years from now, the jovial owner shouted, “I’ll be 80!” He decided 25 years ago the Ravens will not be passed down within the Bisciotti family. He doesn’t want to be in his 80s still vying for a championship like Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. He’d much prefer to “win a couple of Super Bowls and get the hell out.” Easier said than done. “I’d love that to be in the next 10 years when I’m 75. That’s my dream,” Bisciotti said. “If I have one of the top teams at 75, I’ll probably stay until 76. I’ll probably bail somewhere around 10 years from now when I have a really bad season or back-to-back seasons and he’ll [DeCosta] probably be coming with me. Right?” Bisciotti made light of organizational urgency. Truth is, expectations are sky high for whichever coach wins the most coveted job opening this offseason. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article

The microphone on Lamar Jackson’s cell phone is apparently working just fine these days. A week ago, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti fired coach John Harbaugh. After 18 seasons, one Super Bowl title and a dozen postseason appearances, a more recent string of blown fourth-quarter leads, playoff regression and not living up to expectations led to the billionaire’s instincts believing that now was the time to relieve the only coach he’d ever hired of his duties. Amid that decision, Bisciotti also spoke with Jackson the night before he let Harbaugh go. He has talked to him in the days since, too. Bisciotti even extended an open-ended invitation to the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player to use his private jet to fly him to town to be part of the process of hiring the next coach. While Bisciotti said that Jackson did not play an “outsized” role in Harbaugh’s dismissal and the star will have “a lot of say” but “no power” in who will replace him, the owner’s feelings about the 2018 first-round draft pick who on the night Baltimore selected him promised to bring a third Vince Lombardi Trophy to the Charm City couldn’t have been clearer. The 65-year-old who said that he possibly plans to own the team for around another 10 years or so and the Ravens are all in. “I want him to be my quarterback,” Bisciotti said Tuesday when asked if he is 100% sold on the 29-year-old being the central figure in the organization for the foreseeable future. Now the only questions are how and if that will happen and what it will mean for Baltimore. Jackson still has two years left on his current contract, but with a $74.5 million salary due each of the next two seasons, his cap hit would be prohibitive for a team perennially tight on space and long on needs, from the offensive line, to a bonafide pass rusher to re-signing some of their roughly two dozen free agents. That’s why there is an urgency to get an extension signed, which would be the second one of Jackson’s career after he signed a five-year, $260 million deal in 2023 following two long and at times contentious years of negotiations that included the quarterback at one point saying that he couldn’t talk to DeCosta because his cell phone microphone was broken. Despite the stalemate that led to a public trade request before an agreement was finally reached, Bisciotti believes that not only is Jackson the man to take him where he wants to go, but that they will be able to reach an understanding. There are also mathematical gymnastics that can be played, including reworking his current contract to push the $74.5 million out into void years, though that’s not the preference for Bisciotti. “We want another window, and Lamar knows that,” he said. “I think that he’s amenable to doing something that mirrors the last deal he did, although the annual number will be a little higher. But I’m hoping that it’s, plug a new number into the same contract he signed last year and move on. “And the urgency of that matters to me because we’ve got free agents, and I don’t want to go into free agency with that hanging over our head. I made that clear to Lamar, and I think he was very appreciative of my stance, and hopefully willing to work with Eric and not get this thing dragged out into April like it was the last time. It was very hard for him to build a roster when that thing is not settled.” "I think we underachieved as a scouting staff, as a coaching staff and as players," Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said of the 2025 season. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Building, or in many ways rebuilding, the current roster is among DeCosta’s primary objectives — behind, of course, signing Jackson to an extension. Doing the latter would allow him to address the many needs the team has. Pick just about any position group and there is a desire to revamp, be it on the offensive line, at outside linebacker, on the defensive line, at wide receiver, cornerback or elsewhere. “When you underachieve, you can blame a lot of things,” DeCosta said. “We didn’t play consistently from game to game. Some games, the offense played well, the defense didn’t perform well. Some halves, the offense looked good and the defense didn’t. “I think generally speaking, we’ve got to do a better job of creating pressure on defense — that will help the secondary, I think, being complementary on defense that way. Getting after it affecting the quarterback — affecting the pocket would be something big. I know the offensive line seemed to be a narrative this year. … I think we underachieved as a scouting staff, as a coaching staff and as players.” Related Articles Josh Tolentino: Ravens are ready to negotiate. Lamar Jackson remains a wild card. | COMMENTARY Chargers fire ex-Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman after playoff loss Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti’s exit plan? Win big and ‘get the hell out.’ Ravens owner ‘very intrigued’ by top coach candidates from previous cycles Ravens QB Lamar Jackson will have a say in next coach, but ‘no power’ How to improve on that, DeCosta added, includes looking internally and what can be done better. “I think it starts with me; it starts with the new coaching staff; and I think the players will be accountable as well,” DeCosta said. It also includes the ability to go after what he called potential “big-ticket” stars, something that is made difficult if not impossible unless the Ravens can sign Jackson to an extension to lower his salary cap hit. That, of course, starts with being able to communicate with the quarterback in the first place and the two sides being on the same page, particularly with a new coach being hired in the coming weeks. Was it where it needed to be this past season under Harbaugh and the rest of his staff? Bisciotti said that Jackson told him that he had no issues with Harbaugh or offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Now that one is gone and the other to follow, it will be imperative for Jackson and the new regime, along with the owner and general manager, to be simpatico. “I think communication can always be better,” DeCosta said. “You have to over-communicate; I believe in that. “I think with players, especially, they’re looking for feedback. They want to have a voice, but you also have to encourage the feedback and encourage the voice and work and set expectations and hold people accountable every single day. That’s what the most successful organizations do on a consistent basis, whether that’s with your star quarterback or your third-string inside linebacker; you have to set expectations, hold players accountable, foster a relationship where they love this place and love this culture, and football’s the most important thing in their lives.” For Jackson and the Ravens, that starts with talking, so they’ve at least got that going for them. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

“I have the power.” As Ravens’ owner Steve Bisciotti explained Lamar Jackson’s involvement in the coaching search Tuesday, he drew a clear line, one that will help shape the franchise’s next phase as it attempts to replace 18-year head coach John Harbaugh. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player will have input, and the quarterback’s voice is expected to be valued. But the authority still ultimately resides with the organization, even as Jackson holds a different type of leverage. Everything Bisciotti candidly laid out spelled a dynamic built on commitment with boundaries, and a public challenge for their franchise quarterback as necessary contract negotiations await. Bisciotti, sporting a beige suit, fielded questions for more than an hour alongside general manager Eric DeCosta in what was his first meeting with local media since 2022. The Ravens rarely offer this level of transparency from ownership. The last time Bisciotti held a news conference at the team’s headquarters in Owings Mills was in 2018, Jackson’s rookie season. Bisciotti confirmed that he spoke with Jackson before firing Harbaugh last week and added the quarterback will have “a lot of say” in the next coaching hire. But he soon followed his comments with more clarity that felt intentional. “I have the power,” Bisciotti said. “I care about my players very much, but I can’t give them power.” Jackson, of course, is central to everything the Ravens do. Bisciotti made it clear, though, that Jackson is not directing the franchise’s next major decision, especially coming off one of the worst years of his accomplished career, a season in which he missed four games because of several lower-body injuries. Jackson completed 63.6% of his passes, finishing with 2,549 passing yards, 21 touchdown passes and seven interceptions across 13 starts. His 349 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns both marked career lows. Amid all of this hovers Jackson’s looming contract situation. The 29-year-old quarterback is under contract for three more seasons, but his cap number skyrockets to $74.5 million next season, representing roughly a quarter of the team’s salary cap. It’s an untenable figure for a team looking to desperately rebound from missing the playoffs completely after Baltimore was widely labeled a Super Bowl favorite. “The urgency of [settling Jackson’s contract] matters to me because we’ve got free agents and I don’t want to go into free agency with that hanging over our head,” Bisciotti said. “And I made that clear to Lamar and I think he was very appreciative of my stance and hopefully willing to work with [DeCosta] and not get this thing dragged out into [May] like the last time. “It’s very hard for him to build a roster when that thing is not settled.” Biscotti speaks from experience. Related Articles Ravens’ rebuilding plan hinges on Lamar Jackson: ‘We want another window’ Chargers fire ex-Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman after playoff loss Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti’s exit plan? Win big and ‘get the hell out.’ Ravens owner ‘very intrigued’ by top coach candidates from previous cycles Ravens QB Lamar Jackson will have a say in next coach, but ‘no power’ The last round of negotiations involving Jackson dragged and spilled into public view, including Jackson’s trade request in March 2023 and stretches of uncertainty that followed. At one point, Jackson even claimed that he couldn’t field calls from the team because his phone microphone was broken, a sign of just how disconnected the process had become. Eventually, Jackson, who does not employ an agent, signed a five-year extension worth $260 million with $185 million guaranteed that made him the highest-paid player in NFL history at the time. Bisciotti noted Tuesday that in the scenario in which the two sides can’t reach a new deal, the Ravens could lower Jackson’s cap figure by spreading out the cap hit in void years. “You can play with that money all you want. That’s not what we want,” the owner said. Jackson, who turned 29 last Wednesday, declined to discuss his contract situation after the team’s season-ending loss to Pittsburgh earlier in the month. “We just lost a game — a divisional game — a game to put us in the playoffs,” he said. “I’m not even thinking about [my contract] right now, to be honest with you. I’m still caught up in what just happened. That’s not my focus right now.” Just over two weeks later, Bisciotti made sure Tuesday to convey the team’s dynamic related to Jackson. He also outlined a potential path forward with a deal that mirrors Jackson’s previous contract structure. “I want him to be my quarterback,” Bisciotti said. “We want another [Super Bowl] window and Lamar knows that.” This actually is where Jackson’s true leverage lies. The Ravens are signaling the need for alignment that is dependent on how Jackson will soon navigate and prioritize his timing, structure and levels of communication and collaboration. Jackson rightfully doesn’t control the coaching hire. DeCosta is hopeful to narrow down the list of more than a dozen candidates to four or five finalists by next week, and he’s invited Jackson to be part of those important conversations with the final group. Ultimately, Jackson doesn’t have the power, according to Bisciotti. Jackson, though, does control how quickly the lingering sense of uncertainty clears. He controls whether the Ravens enter free agency and the NFL Draft with comfort and clarity or unnecessary constraint. By extension, Jackson controls how easily the front office can build the kind of roster that gives him another legitimate shot at his first elusive Super Bowl title. The ball is in Jackson’s court. Is he ready to dabble in expected tough conversations? Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, left, and executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta hold a news conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. The two say they're eager to discuss Lamar Jackson's contract with the star quarterback. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) “I think communication can always be better,” DeCosta said of Jackson’s relationship with team officials. “Just if you think you’re a great communicator, then you need to be a better communicator. You have to overcommunicate. I believe in that. …That’s what the most successful organizations do on a consistent basis, whether that’s with your star quarterback or your third-string inside linebacker — you have to set expectations, hold players accountable, foster a relationship where they love this place and love this culture, and football’s the most important thing in their lives.” Tuesday served as a public declaration for Jackson to engage with his employer and move forward with contract discussions. Over the following days, Baltimore will continue its ever-important coaching interview process. Jackson remains a key piece to the team’s future plans and is being kept abreast regarding his next potential head coach. With Jackson’s contract status up in the air, it has created a riveting dynamic between the franchise and its most important player. “[Jackson will have] a lot of say, but he has no power,” Bisciotti said. “I have the power. They have opinions, and I want them all. I care about my players very much, but I can’t give them power.” The Ravens insist on remaining to true to the organization, while they also continue to lift Jackson. In return, they’re hoping for smoother cooperation from an unpredictable wild card. Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. View the full article

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman and offensive line coach Mike Devlin on Tuesday, two days after the team lost 16-3 to the New England Patriots in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Roman spent two seasons as the Chargers’ OC after previously holding the position with the Ravens, Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers. Los Angeles posted back-to-back 11-6 seasons but lost its playoff opener each time, scoring a total of 15 points in the two games. After Sunday night’s game, coach Jim Harbaugh was asked if Roman was the right person to be calling plays and declined to give Roman a vote of confidence. “Right now I don’t have the answers,” he said. “We’re going to look at that, at everything. It really falls on me that we weren’t at our best tonight. I don’t have the answers. I wish I did.” Devlin followed a seven-year career as an offensive lineman for Buffalo and Arizona as an offensive line coach for the Cardinals, Jets, Texans and Ravens before spending the last two seasons with the Cardinals. Los Angeles lost both of its starting offensive tackles to season-ending injuries, and Chargers quarterbacks were sacked 60 times — second-worst in the NFL — in 2025. Justin Herbert was brought down six times on Sunday night. The Chargers haven’t won a postseason game since 2018. Herbert is 0-3 in the playoffs for his career. View the full article

Steve Bisciotti smiled when the question came up. In 15 years, the Ravens owner will be 80 — and he doesn’t expect to still be in charge of the franchise. Speaking publicly for the first time in four years, Bisciotti used this week’s news conference to open up about his future while also addressing Baltimore’s coaching search after the firing of John Harbaugh. “I want to win a couple Super Bowls and get the hell out,” Bisciotti said. “I’d love that to be within the next 10 years from when I’m 75. That’s my dream.” Bisciotti, 65, first purchased a 49% stake in the franchise in March 2000 before acquiring a majority share in April 2004. The Ravens have won two Super Bowls during his tenure — one in 2001 when he was a minority owner and another in 2013 as the controlling owner. He remains deeply competitive and engaged with the organization, a reality proven by his decision last week to fire Harbaugh. But Bisciotti said he doesn’t envision maintaining that same intensity well into his 80s, even taking a lighthearted jab at Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. “When I see Jerry talking about what part of his anatomy he’d give up for a Super Bowl at 83 years old, I don’t want to be there,” Bisciotti said. If the Ravens remain one of the NFL’s top teams when he turns 75, he said he may stay a year or two longer. But his message was clear. “I’ll probably bail somewhere around 10 years from now,” Bisciotti said. Bisciotti said the Ravens will be sold to a new ownership group rather than passed down within his family. He has seen firsthand how inherited ownership can fracture families and destabilize franchises. Some of the league’s most famous family-run organizations — including the Bears, Lions and Raiders — have spent decades mired in dysfunction after control passed from their founders to their heirs. There’s often internal disputes, unclear leadership structures and football decisions driven by family politics rather than expertise. Those power struggles have coincided with prolonged losing, front-office instability and, in some cases, the erosion of once-proud brands. It’s exactly the outcome Bisciotti wants to avoid. “I don’t think its healthy for my family,” he said. “I’ve seen families feud and ruined over these damn teams, and I was determined not to do it.” When Bisciotti first became involved with the Ravens, he noted that Patriots owner Robert “Bob” Kraft and Jones were younger than he is now. Today, Kraft and Jones, along with Falcons owner Arthur Blank, 83, and Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, 85, are still running their teams at ages far beyond what Bisciotti envisions for himself, he said. The Ravens’ owner has also taken a step back in recent years. He framed it Tuesday as a choice rooted more in family than football. Related Articles Chargers fire ex-Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman after playoff loss Ravens owner ‘very intrigued’ by top coach candidates from previous cycles Ravens QB Lamar Jackson will have a say in next coach, but ‘no power’ Mike Preston: Trust Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and his instincts | COMMENTARY Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti explains firing of coach John Harbaugh Bisciotti described a moment of self-awareness in the early 2010s when he realized he wasn’t being fully truthful with his wife about what buying an NFL team would mean. He had promised it would be more “hobby” than “business.” The deeper he got into league committees and the grind of ownership, the more he felt himself slipping into the 70-hour-week version of the job. Family started coming second. “I dreamed of a gold jacket like the Maras and the Rooneys and that kind of dissipated,” Bisciotti said. “In order to earn a gold jacket as an owner, you better be putting in 70-hour weeks … I wasn’t willing to do that.” That retreat has been visible publicly, too. The owner who once made annual “State of the Ravens” appearances largely stopped doing them, and he acknowledged why: he didn’t see the benefit of routinely dissecting playoff exits from the podium when the people making the football decisions were better positioned to explain them. Bisciotti doesn’t come around often anymore. But the owner who once held court every winter was back this week because, in his mind, this wasn’t just another season’s end. It was a franchise pivot. “My instincts told me this was the time,” Bisciotti said. Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, or x.com/Mikephowes. View the full article

Don’t be surprised if the Ravens’ next coach is someone who’s been fired from the top job before. At the team’s headquarters in Owings Mills on Tuesday, owner Steve Bisciotti said that Baltimore would strongly consider someone who’s already been a head coach and didn’t get a fair shake the first time. “I am very intrigued by coaches that were the hottest offensive and defensive coordinators — five, six, seven years ago in their cycles — and got jobs and went to teams that were noncompetitive and didn’t have a quarterback,” Bisciotti said. The Ravens, who last week fired coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons with the organization, have already interviewed Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, former Browns coach Kevin Stefanski and Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph — all former head coaches who were eventually fired. There’s another common thread: all but Nagy finished their previous stops with losing records. Baltimore is also expected to interview former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel and former Jets coach Robert Saleh. McDaniel went 35-33 across four seasons in Miami. Saleh had a 20-36 mark in three-plus years and never had a winning season. But the losing records — and just one playoff win among the seven — aren’t mistaken for a lack of viable options to Bisciotti. “If our final candidate is an ex-coach who has a losing record, you all are going to have to understand that we are going to be able to judge that failure with his circumstances and marry that up and not disqualify them,” he said. “You have to remember that they were the hottest coaches in their cycle, and they got jobs, and they got tough jobs, and I don’t think we have a tough job.” The Ravens have already requested to or have interviewed more coaches than they did the last time they sought a new coach in 2008. With 15 currently in that group, Baltimore has more than doubled the total of six from Bisciotti’s first search. Baltimore, as Bisciotti put it, should be the best job available. The Ravens have a franchise quarterback in Lamar Jackson under contract for at least two more seasons. With Jackson, Baltimore has reached the playoffs in six of the past eight seasons, earning the AFC’s No. 1 seed twice. The Ravens’ opening is so appealing, Bisciotti said, that college coaches have reached out to the organization about the vacancy — even though the team has not contacted them. Related Articles Ravens QB Lamar Jackson will have a say in next coach, but ‘no power’ Mike Preston: Trust Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and his instincts | COMMENTARY Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti explains firing of coach John Harbaugh Mike Tomlin to the Ravens? ‘Holy s–t. Wouldn’t that be awesome?’ Who should coach the Ravens? Reporters discuss who should replace Harbaugh. “I don’t know how hard that would be,” Bisciotti said about a college coach’s transition to the NFL. “But if I was a college coach dealing with that portal and the NIL, I’d be at my doorstep. I can’t imagine what these guys are going through.” Retread hires have been successful for organizations in the past. Bill Belichick went 37-45 in five seasons with Cleveland before winning six Super Bowl titles in New England. Pete Carroll was fired from both the Patriots and the Jets before winning a Super Bowl in Seattle and transforming the culture. Tony Dungy, who criticized the move to fire Harbaugh, won two playoff games with Tampa Bay in six years before leading Peyton Manning and the Colts to a Super Bowl victory. “If I hire an offensive coordinator or defensive coordinator, none of y’all can say anything about his poor record the first time he was a head coach,” Bisciotti said. “It would be very easy for me to try and avoid those ex-head coaches, because they have losing records. But I’m telling you, we are keen to their circumstances, and we won’t let their first shot at a job influence us negatively.” Some candidates would be first-time head coaches in Baltimore if hired, including Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak — both of whom have ties to the organization. Weaver served as a Ravens defensive assistant from 2021 to 2023 and played in Baltimore under former coach Brian Billick, while Kubiak’s father, Gary, was the team’s offensive coordinator during the 2014 season. That familiarity, however, can complicate how candidates are evaluated, Bisciotti said, because it can give those with inside knowledge of the organization an edge in interviews. Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti reacts to news of Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin stepping down during a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti reacts to news of Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin stepping down during a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti reacts to news of Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin stepping down during a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, left, and executive vice president/general manager Eric DeCosta hold a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, left, and executive vice president/general manager Eric DeCosta hold a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)"I don't think we have a tough job," Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said Tuesday during a news conference with general manager Eric DeCosta. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, left, and executive vice president/general manager Eric DeCosta hold a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, left, bumps fist with executive vice president/general manager Eric DeCosta during a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, left, bumps fist with executive vice president/general manager Eric DeCosta during a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, left, and executive vice president/general manager Eric DeCosta hold a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti waves to the gathering as he enters with executive vice president/general manager Eric DeCosta for a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, left, and executive vice president/general manager Eric DeCosta leave after a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)"I don't think we have a tough job," Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said Tuesday during a news conference with general manager Eric DeCosta. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti holds a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, left, and executive vice president/general manager Eric DeCosta hold a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, left, and executive vice president/general manager Eric DeCosta hold a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti holds a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens executive vice president/general manager Eric DeCosta holds a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Show Caption1 of 18Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti reacts to news of Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin stepping down during a press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Expand “You’re kind of handicapping fairly a person that has seen us from afar, but has no intimate knowledge of us,” Bisciotti said. “Eric’s pretty smart and capable of handicapping that knowledge and taking it out of it when he’s looking at them as equals.” Bisciotti also made clear that Baltimore is not prioritizing one side of the ball over the other in its search. Instead, he framed the decision around assembling the right staff — not just choosing a coach. DeCosta said that the hiring process will continue with additional first-round interviews over the next several days before the Ravens narrow the field to a small group of finalists. Those candidates would then be brought in for full-day, in-person sessions across the organization, a process DeCosta likened to a “three-week NFL draft.” “It’s not just the head coach,” the general manager said. “It’s, who [are their] coordinators? What are they going to look like? Offensive line coach, secondary coach. [We need to] find the right combination of coaches that make us better.” In a search that Bisciotti described as deliberate and wide-ranging, Baltimore is betting that the right hire will matter more than the fastest one. They are in no rush to make a decision. Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes. View the full article

Lamar Jackson was on the phone with Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti the night before John Harbaugh was fired. He’s been texting with general manager Eric DeCosta after every coaching candidate interview. Baltimore’s superstar quarterback even has an open invitation to fly in Bisciotti’s personal airplane if he’s interested in having a presence during this all-important process. “[Jackson will have] a lot of say,” Bisciotti said, “but he has no power.” The team’s longtime owner met with reporters Tuesday in the aftermath of his decision to fire Harbaugh. It was his first time speaking with non-team reporters since 2022 and his first formal news conference at the practice facility in Owings Mills since February 2018. Bisciotti offered clarity on what has been a most pressing question as the Ravens navigate the spillage from such a disappointing season: How much say will Jackson have on the direction of the team? “They [players] have opinions and I want them all,” Bisciotti said. “I care about my players very much but I can’t give them power.” Jackson is the centerpiece of Baltimore’s Super Bowl aspirations. With four Pro Bowl selections, three All-Pro nods and a hefty $260 million contract, Ravens brass made clear that he’s the guy they want hoisting a trophy. They value his opinion, as they made clear Tuesday. The evening of Monday, Jan. 5, the night before he fired Harbaugh, Bisciotti said that he spoke with several veteran players. Jackson made clear to Bisciotti over the phone that, despite several reports indicating otherwise, he did not have a problem with Harbaugh or offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Jackson was candid. He told Bisciotti, the owner said, that they “probably” need to make changes after a regression that barred Baltimore from the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Many figured that would be one or both of the coordinators and perhaps a collection of assistant coaches, not a full-blown reset. “That’s probably more for you and [DeCosta],” Jackson told him. “Well, your opinion matters,” Bisciotti replied. Before they got off the phone, Bisciotti told Jackson that the decision to fire Harbaugh was “pretty set,” although not “iron-clad.” News of Harbaugh’s firing broke the next day. Bisciotti said that the face of his franchise did not have “an outsized” say in the decision. Ravens team owner, Steve Bisciotti, left, speaks with quarterback Lamar Jackson before the 2025 season opener against the Browns. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) The Ravens have since turned to an exhaustive process of finding their next head coach. As of Tuesday afternoon, eight candidates have completed interviews. Eight or nine others will speak with the team via Zoom by Sunday. DeCosta has been messaging with Jackson after every interview, Bisciotti said, pointing to the man sitting beside him. Jackson is notoriously tough to stay in contact with during the offseason, but it’s clear the Ravens are making every effort to keep the quarterback abreast. “I think he’s getting some opinions from Lamar,” said Bisciotti, who acknowledged that he’s sitting out the initial round of interviews but will be present for the in-person follow-ups beginning next week. “I said to Lamar last night, when they call me up from Florida, you better get your [butt] up here too. … I said to Lamar, you can jump on my plane or find another way to get up there [to Baltimore]. If you’re that interested, then we’re gonna get a schedule, he’s gonna call you up, he’s gonna offer you the same luxury. I said, ‘I hope you take it.’” Jackson replied, “Yes sir, I think I will.” Related Articles Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti explains firing of coach John Harbaugh Mike Tomlin to the Ravens? ‘Holy s–t. Wouldn’t that be awesome?’ Who should coach the Ravens? Reporters discuss who should replace Harbaugh. Inside what went wrong for the Ravens and why John Harbaugh was fired READER POLL: Who should be the Ravens’ next coach? Whether the quarterback follows through remains to be seen. He doesn’t have a reputation of being in the building during the offseason. Still, the front office would prefer to make this decision in lock-step with Jackson. This was a down year for the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player. Jackson dealt with several injuries. During one two-month stretch, he missed at least one practice every week. Fans weren’t treated to the full strength of Jackson’s quarterback mastery until, perhaps, the fourth quarter of Week 18 in Pittsburgh. Still, just that performance in the waning minutes of the season was enough of a reminder that Jackson hasn’t lost his fastball. Bisciotti and DeCosta were adamant Jackson is their quarterback of the future. They verbalized confidence in an ability to renegotiate a deal Jackson — whose salary-cap hit climbs to $74.5 million each of the next two seasons — so they can maintain a contending team around him. That requires ironing out an agreement before free agency begins in March. Success in Baltimore starts and stops with Jackson. He’ll have input in the direction of the organization, as many expect. At the end of the day, it’s Bisciotti’s call. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article

It’s been one week since Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti fired coach John Harbaugh, and since then he has made all the right moves. He is ahead of the proceedings, first by announcing last Tuesday that the Ravens were firing the embattled coach, one day after three NFL coaches were dismissed on “Black Monday.” Then the following Tuesday, Bisciotti held a news conference, his first since 2022. Wow. Bisciotti, 65, finally pulled back his cloak of invisibility to the media and fans instead of waiting for their usual pilgrimage to Jupiter, Florida, with team president Sashi Brown, general manager Eric DeCosta, vice president of player personnel Ozzie Newsome and Harbaugh meeting annually. Oops, sorry about that. Harbaugh is gone. Anyway, the Ravens are moving forward and Bisciotti has stepped up. He could have procrastinated and kept both Harbaugh and fans dangling for another week, but he made the announcement, which was timely. For him to hold a news conference, too, that’s mind-boggling and downright earth-shattering. Now, we’ll see where the Ravens will go from here, but at least Bisciotti has taken charge. If it was Dallas owner Jerry Jones, the Ravens might be in trouble, but at least Bisciotti hired Harbaugh, who lasted an unprecedented 18 years. That is a statement within itself, especially since the average span of an NFL head coach is around three years. The Ravens will end up interviewing about 20 candidates, including offensive coordinators Klint Kubiak (Seattle), Kliff Kingsbury (formerly Washington) and Matt Nagy (Kansas City) and defensive coordinators Anthony Weaver (Miami), Robert Saleh (San Francisco) and Jesse Minter (Los Angeles Chargers). Of course, the show stopper during Tuesday’s news conference was Bisciotti being asked about coach Mike Tomlin, who stepped down after 19 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday. The response was colorful, and even though there are reports that Tomlin, 53, isn’t coaching next season, the Ravens should have interest. Tomlin is a fighter, and Pittsburgh beat Baltimore twice this past season to win the AFC North. But I like Bisciotti being in control. He admitted to a shake down while interviewing current Ravens last week before firing Harbaugh, and that was the right move. Bisciotti did the same thing after the 2007 season when he fired then-coach Brian Billick, as he interviewed players such as Hall of Famers Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Bisciotti said that he spoke with star quarterback and two-time Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson about Harbaugh’s situation last week, but he treated Jackson much like he did Lewis in 2007. They have opinions, but no control. Veterans on the team feared Harbaugh in his first year in 2008 because he was tougher than Billick, who had light training camp practices and virtually no contact near the end of the season. Remember, Hall of Fame left tackle Jonathan Ogden retired in June a month before Harbaugh’s first training camp. Top cornerback Chris McAlister signed with New Orleans one year after playing for Harbaugh. The Ravens were not “team harmony.” Bisciotti made the same promise to Jackson as he did to Lewis in 2007. “A lot of say, but he has no power. I have the power,” Bisciotti said of Jackson. “They have opinions and I want them all. I care about my players very much, but I can’t give them power.” Related Articles Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti explains firing of coach John Harbaugh Mike Tomlin to the Ravens? ‘Holy s–t. Wouldn’t that be awesome?’ Who should coach the Ravens? Reporters discuss who should replace Harbaugh. Inside what went wrong for the Ravens and why John Harbaugh was fired READER POLL: Who should be the Ravens’ next coach? A lot of the media has focused on building this team around Jackson, but that would be wrong. It’s all about balance. Teams in the NFL exploit weaknesses. The best teams don’t always win the Super Bowl, but teams usually win because they have the least amount of weaknesses. Memo to DeCosta: Go build up the interior lines. The Ravens didn’t have a consistent pass rush, which is why they were ranked No. 30 in pass defense, allowing almost 250 yards per game. They couldn’t protect Jackson, who also couldn’t decide whether he wanted to run or pass as he was sacked 45 times and pressured on several other occasions. Somewhere, somehow, DeCosta has to start investing in first-round draft picks on the offensive and defensive lines. Bisciotti talked a lot about instincts Tuesday, and he was right. The Ravens were a mess. They had no offensive identity until the final three games, and the defense, especially the secondary, was abysmal. His instincts, though, are a key. In 1983, he invested $5,000 with his cousin, Jim Davis, to buy a place over a bakery in Baltimore to develop Aerotek, which is now the largest privately owned staffing and recruiting company in the United States, located in Hanover. Today, Bisciotti’s net worth is an estimated $8.5 billion, according to Forbes. Much has been said about the way Bisciotti fired Harbaugh through a phone call as Harbaugh was driving home, but I don’t care. That’s so stupid. They spent 18 years together. I remember how former Ravens owner Art Modell fired coach Ted Marchibroda after three seasons. Modell cried the entire time as he slow walked back to his office, which was only 20 yards away from Marchibroda. Bisciotti and Harbaugh had a special relationship. I watched as Bisciotti and Harbaugh would meet after games in Bisciotti’s private suite at M&T Bank Stadium. Bisciotti expressed anger Tuesday at those on social media who would criticize his coach after losses, and pointed out that it was a team effort, not just on Harbaugh. If you really want to see their friendship, go look at their parting statements once Harbaugh was terminated. Does that appear to be anger, or a coach who was not appreciative of being named a head coach after coming from a special teams background? It was Bisciotti who spoke to Harbaugh days after the firing about which NFL vacancy the coach should pursue. “We are friends and we will remain friends,” Bisciotti said. Bisciotti made the right move. His instincts were correct, and so was the decision to speak to the media on Tuesday. After having the best record in the NFL in 2023, the Ravens lost to Kansas City in the AFC championship game, and then to Buffalo in the divisional round last season. The Ravens failed to make the playoffs this season after losing twice to Pittsburgh, including the regular season finale that decided the AFC North title. So far, his instincts have been good. It’s already been a good offseason. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti in his first time speaking with reporters since firing coach John Harbaugh last week said Tuesday in Owings Mills that the reason he moved on from the longtime coach was that Baltimore had blown too many fourth-quarter leads and underperformed in the playoffs. “It’s not something winning organizations do,” said Bisciotti, who was joined on the stage inside the team’s auditorium by general manager Eric DeCosta. “We have underperformed based on our seeding in the playoffs. Very disappointing.” Bisciotti added that he came to the conclusion last week, but that he wasn’t “100% sure” until after the Ravens lost to the Steelers in Week 18 to be eliminated from playoff contention and then relied on his “instincts.” “I woke up Monday and I was pretty sure I was going to do it,” he said. “Timing is never right. You can’t say that timing is perfect in anything, but I got to the point that I didn’t believe that I would feel regret after I made that decision and that’s what instinct is, when you finally get to the point that you’re pretty damn sure that you are not gonna regret the decision a day or a week later then that’s the time to make the decision.” Asked what role quarterback and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson played in the move, he said spoke to the quarterback on Monday night and that Jackson told him he did not have a problem with Harbaugh or offensive coordinator Todd Monken. He also added that he felt it was important to seek his input along with that of a “bunch” of veteran players. “I don’t think that the players had really a large part of my decision,” Bisciotti said, adding that it was more 80% general manager Eric DeCosta, executive vice president Ozzie Newsome and president Sashi Brown, compared with 20% of players’ feedback. “I don’t think I’d be a very good leader if I didn’t ask the top players in my organization that have been here the longest … no, Lamar did not have an outsized part of my decision. “My decision by Monday was pretty much set. I think by the time I got off the phone with Lamar I had told him my position was pretty set.” Bisciotti also said that he informed Harbaugh via phone call rather than in person out of logistics. “I never dreamed of firing somebody by phone,” he said. “But the reality is when I made my decision on Tuesday afternoon, I was home and he was in his car heading to his house.” Bisciotti said he felt like it would have been a “jerk” move to call him up and tell him to meet him at the Ravens’ facility in an hour. The two then spoke at length two days later. Bisciotti called Harbaugh on Thursday and left a message before Harbaugh texted him back saying he could talk in about 30 minutes. The discussion, Bisciotti said, wasn’t so much about the details of the decision but they did discuss the larger negative elements surrounding a trying year. “Obviously it was emotional,” he said. “Most of that emotion came from me. … I was the one choked up and he was the one consoling me.” Related Articles Mike Tomlin to the Ravens? ‘Holy s–t. Wouldn’t that be awesome?’ Who should coach the Ravens? Reporters discuss who should replace Harbaugh. Inside what went wrong for the Ravens and why John Harbaugh was fired READER POLL: Who should be the Ravens’ next coach? Ravens have 3 players named to All-Pro teams Still, that decision came suddenly and somewhat surprisingly last Tuesday after Harbaugh had been at the helm for 18 seasons. Harbaugh’s tenure included a Super Bowl title and a dozen playoff appearances, including four trips to the AFC championship game, as he went on to become the winningest coach in the franchise’s 30-year history. It also came just nine months after Bisciotti gave him a three-year extension that would have kept him with the team through 2028. But it followed one of the most disillusioning and disastrous seasons in Ravens history. Baltimore finished 8-9 and out of the playoffs for the first time since 2021 after losing two of its final three games, including to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on a last-second, game-winning field goal attempt by rookie Tyler Loop that sailed wide right. The defeat was a microcosm of not just this past season but the past few. In the 2023 season, the Ravens reached the AFC championship only to be questioned over play-calling and critical mistakes in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. A year later, Baltimore won the AFC North for a second straight year, erasing a two-game deficit with four games to play, but fell in the divisional round against the Buffalo Bills, committing three turnovers in the gut-wrenching two-point loss. Then came this season. The year opened with the Ravens as the favorite to win the Super Bowl. Then they blew a 15-point fourth-quarter lead in Week 1 against the Bills. Baltimore dropped five of its first six games and struggled to keep its season afloat. Then came a blown 11-point fourth quarter lead at home against the New England Patriots in Week 16 and the loss in Pittsburgh two weeks later in what turned out to be Harbaugh’s final act. Bisciotti also said the decision was his alone and now was “100%” the time to make a change. “This was the most difficult decision we made,” he said. “If not now, when? “It was a wonderful, wonderful marriage. The next coach we get I want him to be a Super Bowl winning coach, too. God help him if he can rise up to the level John did.” This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Mike Tomlin is out in Pittsburgh. The longtime Steelers coach is leaving the organization after 19 seasons, it was announced Tuesday. The news broke during the Ravens’ end-of-season news conference focused on their firing of longtime coach John Harbaugh, and The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston shared the AFC North development with owner Steve Bisciotti. “Is it official?” Bisciotti asked. “That’s what I keep hearing,” Preston said. “So, is he a candidate here?” “Holy s–t, Mike,” Bisciotti said. “Wouldn’t that be awesome?” The room erupted in laughter before Bisciotti delivered another quip. “Only if John takes the Pittsburgh job,” Bisciotti said. “Wow, wouldn’t that be interesting.” Tomlin’s specific situation might stop Ravens fans in their tracks before they pull up Photoshop and start making edits of Tomlin in Ravens gear. NFL network reported that Tomlin might take a break from coaching in 2026, and The Athletic reported that TV networks are interested in bringing Tomlin into their respective studios next season. Most importantly, since Tomlin officially stepped down from the organization — he wasn’t fired — the Steelers still hold his rights through the 2027 season. Pittsburgh could trade Tomlin, if he’s interested in coaching elsewhere. The Saints traded Sean Payton and a 2024 third-round draft pick to the Broncos in 2023 for a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 second-round selection. Payton led Denver to the No. 1 seed in the AFC this season. It’s one thing for the Saints to trade a coach to the Broncos, but two AFC North rivals making that move would be more surprising. If interested in taking a new job in the next two seasons, Tomlin would draw major interest across the NFL. He’s a Super Bowl champion, and he never posted a losing record during his 19 years in Pittsburgh. And while Harbaugh is 63 years old and a top candidate for openings this year, Tomlin is a decade younger. “I love Mike,” Bisciotti said. “I’ve admired Mike for 18 years.” Tomlin’s departure exacerbates a changing AFC North. Not only are Tomlin and Harbaugh leaving their franchises, but the Browns also fired Kevin Stefanski after the season. Bengals coach Zac Taylor is the only AFC North coach expected to return to their franchise for the 2026 season. Related Articles Who should coach the Ravens? Reporters discuss who should replace Harbaugh. Inside what went wrong for the Ravens and why John Harbaugh was fired READER POLL: Who should be the Ravens’ next coach? Ravens have 3 players named to All-Pro teams Staff picks for NFL wild-card round: Packers at Bears, Bills at Jaguars and more While Tomlin likely isn’t a serious candidate to take over the Ravens in 2026 because the Steelers hold the rights to his contract, Stefanski could be a real option. He took the Browns to the playoffs twice in five seasons, and Bisciotti said Tuesday that he won’t rule out a previous head coach with a losing record. “I’m telling you, we are keen to their circumstances, and we won’t let their first shot at the job influence us negatively for this one,” Bisciotti said. Regardless of who Baltimore hires, the past 10 days have guaranteed the AFC North will look far different in 2026. Have a news tip? Contact Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

The last time Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti was tasked with hiring a head coach, the TV show “Breaking Bad” was about to premiere, Instagram didn’t exist and Barack Obama was just an Illinois senator. In January 2008, Bisciotti took a chance on a relatively unknown 45-year-old special teams coach named John Harbaugh, who was known more for being Jim’s older brother than he was for his coaching prowess. The now-63-year-old was fired last Tuesday. The NFL looks very different 18 years later. Some teams swing for the fences on the potential next big name. Others prefer a proven track record or a retread hire. Bisciotti will speak with reporters Tuesday and perhaps shed some light on the kind of coach he’s eyeing. As of this writing, the Ravens have completed interviews with six coaching candidates. Ravens reporters Brian Wacker and Sam Cohn discuss what kind of coach makes sense to keep open Baltimore’s championship window: Cohn: Brian, you’ve been covering the Ravens for the past three seasons. You’ve seen historic regular season success and each accompanying postseason collapse. When Bisciotti is deciding on Harbaugh’s successor, what kind of coach should he prioritize? Wacker: First and foremost, you want someone you believe who can get through to and get the most out of Lamar Jackson. That’s certainly not the only trait, but it has to be a significant one. Otherwise, what’s the point? That said, I don’t think that necessarily means finding an offensive guru. To me, the more concerning aspect of this past season was how much of a step back the defense has taken really the past two seasons. Some of that was personnel. Some of it not. This franchise has always been built around a strong defense. It’s part of the fabric and culture that permeates the building. Cohn: Who are a few names that fit that mold? Wacker: Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is the first name that comes to mind. He’s young at 42, brings familiarity as a former defensive assistant in Baltimore from 2017 to 2020, and he’s known to have a charismatic personality that can connect with players. He also knows his stuff, of course, and has a track record of turning struggling to middling defenses around, be it in Los Angeles or at Vanderbilt and Michigan, the latter helping the Wolverines to a national championship in 2022. Brian Flores is another defensive-oriented coach who brings perhaps an even more commanding voice. He grew up in a tough neighborhood in New York, reportedly struggled communicating and collaborating as the Miami Dolphins coach but perhaps learned from the experience as many first-time coaches have and then gone on to be successful. He also helped propel the Steelers’ and Vikings’ defense in his work for those two teams and again perhaps would be able to connect with Jackson the way others have not. Who comes to mind for you? Cohn: Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, to me, checks all the boxes. He has a proven track record calling plays for a top-three offense in the NFL. As the son of former Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, he brings some familiarity with how life works in Owings Mills. And he’s 38 years old, meaning he could bring the type of youthful energy this Ravens team is searching for. Brian, you mentioned Jackson before. Bisciotti needs to find a coach for Jackson as much as he does the Ravens. Kubiak would be a smart choice to keep the coach and quarterback in lockstep. I’ll also throw out Nathan Scheelhaase and Davis Webb. With two decades of stability under a CEO coach, I’d think Bisciotti would lean into a more established, offensive-minded name capable of keeping Baltimore in contention right now. If he’s willing to swing at an off-speed pitch then Scheelhaase, the Rams pass game coordinator, and Webb, Denver’s pass game coordinator and QBs coach, are the two popular youngsters this coaching cycle. Wacker: Harbaugh was an unconventional hire the last time Bisciotti was looking for a coach, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see him do the same here, and Webb is a guy who people around the league are very high on. Scheelhaase is likewise viewed as a “boy wonder” candidate by some and at 35 is five years older than Webb, so he has a little more experience. I’d still want someone perhaps a bit more seasoned, though, and Bisciotti has made it clear he wants to win now. Harbaugh did that, making the playoffs each of his first four seasons then won the Super Bowl in his fifth with a roster that still had some holdovers from before his arrival. I also think the situation begs the question, how much input will or should Jackson have? Cohn: A lot — but there’s a line. The Ravens won’t get over the hump of making it to a Super Bowl unless their two-time Most Valuable Player is happy in a system that works for him. He’s the focal point of this team and the face of the franchise. To say he shouldn’t have sway is like saying LeBron James should keep his paws off front office decisions. It’s asinine. Related Articles Inside what went wrong for the Ravens and why John Harbaugh was fired READER POLL: Who should be the Ravens’ next coach? Ravens have 3 players named to All-Pro teams Staff picks for NFL wild-card round: Packers at Bears, Bills at Jaguars and more Josh Tolentino: Ravens, NFL should be ready to give Brian Flores a chance | COMMENTARY So, two things. The Ravens need an offensive resurgence after a year Todd Monken admitted they never really “fired on all cylinders,” which starts with the quarterback. But giving Jackson too much say could result in a decision more consequential than his urging to sign failed experiment Jaire Alexander. Brian, what’s your read on the power Jackson may wield? Wacker: The difference, of course, is that James has won four rings. During Jackson’s previous contract negotiation, Bisciotti through general manager Eric DeCosta doled out $15 million for Odell Beckham Jr. and this past season another $6 million for DeAndre Hopkins, two players the quarterback flatly said he wanted. They also brought in cornerback and former college teammate Alexander. How’d those moves ultimately pan out with respect to production? This isn’t to say Jackson’s input shouldn’t be taken into consideration. It should be. But a lot? I don’t know. They should hire someone that can get the most out of Jackson — however that manifests — but also keep in mind life beyond him. He will be entering his ninth season in 2026, has plenty of talent and the defense still needs to be fixed. Cohn: OK, here’s a hypothetical: Let’s say you and Bisciotti are switching places for a day. Who are you hiring as head coach and two coordinators? Wacker: This is tough because the reality is there aren’t a lot — if any — coaches out there better than Harbaugh in this cycle. But clearly things had reached their zenith here and the situation had at the very least started to grow stale. I think Minter is a guy who’s ready to be a head coach and could command Jackson’s attention while also doing the things Baltimore needs on defense. Jackson has enough talent around him and enough of an understanding of what works and what doesn’t that the Ravens don’t need an offensive guru as head coach. Someone like Webb or Scheelhaase at offensive coordinator could help reinvigorate the offense, while Minter could tap his current defensive line coach in L.A., Mike Elston, who has a strong reputation for player development, or perhaps Flores, though the latter would seem less likely. Cohn: I like that lineup. As you said, there won’t be a coach “better” than Harbaugh. Rather, Bisciotti is looking to pin down the right replacement to fumigate the playoff ghosts haunting that locker room. Give me Kubiak at the helm. Because I’m leaning offensive-minded coach, I like Scheelhaase as the offensive coordinator. Anthony Weaver, if he’s open to a coordinator position rather than the head coaching gigs he’s already interviewed for, is the kind of defensive strategist-slash-culture-builder this team needs. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. Rams offensive assistant Nate Scheelhaase looks on during a 2024 game. The 35-year-old coach has developed into a head coaching candidate in early 2026. (Kyusung Gong/AP) View the full article

The Ravens were, in the words of one source with direct knowledge of the inner workings of the team, “hanging by a thread” in the final weeks of the 2025 season. Still, there was a belief that Baltimore and its Super Bowl-caliber roster needed a reset and not an “overhaul” after finishing 8-9 and out of the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Despite the collapse, there was faith among at least some inside the Ravens’ sprawling, nearly $100 million practice facility that things were much closer to fixable than not. Then came the stunning news. John Harbaugh, who was the second-longest-tenured coach in the NFL behind the Steelers’ Mike Tomlin and the winningest coach in franchise history with his 180 regular-season wins ranking 14th all-time, was out. The Baltimore Sun spoke to more than 10 sources, all of whom have intimate knowledge of the team and organization and were granted anonymity to speak freely, to explain what went wrong this season, why a coaching change was made and what could come next for Harbaugh and for the Ravens. Here is a look at why and how it happened, and what’s next for both parties. The emotions of the roller-coaster year appeared to take their toll on Harbaugh, members of his staff and the players, according to several people who spoke to The Baltimore Sun. The feelings ranged from disappointment to discontent to uncertainty to frustration — over a familiar pattern of losing and blown leads, a regression by the defense and the offense, as well as Lamar Jackson’s injuries. Yet, at least some inside and many outside of the building expected that the 63-year-old Harbaugh had a good chance of returning, despite external and percolating questions about his job security and the state of his relationship with his star quarterback. Then, two days after Tyler Loop’s missed game-winning field goal try against the Steelers in Pittsburgh ended their season, and one day after Harbaugh met with general manager Eric DeCosta, executive vice president Ozzie Newsome and president Sashi Brown in Owings Mills, as well as conducted a final team meeting, the fraying string snapped. Owner Steve Bisciotti phoned Harbaugh to tell him that he was fired, two sources with direct knowledge of the call told The Sun. Harbaugh, who signed a three-year extension nine months ago that made him one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport and was under contract through the 2028 season, was surprised, a source close to Harbaugh said. His statement noted “disappointment.” But Harbaugh also expressed “gratitude” for his 18 seasons in Baltimore, which included a Super Bowl title and a dozen playoff appearances, including four trips to the AFC championship game. In the days following his dismissal, those around him indicated that Harbaugh is at peace with the decision, which Bisciotti discussed with the coach in more detail two days after the firing, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. The coach’s MO has often been to move on quickly, and there are “no hard feelings,” the source said, adding that there are always “motivations” behind these moves. And even though he is no longer a head coach for the first time in nearly two decades, there is an enthusiasm for what’s ahead. That things reached this point, though, was also jolting, within the organization and around the league. Why things fell apart for the Ravens The reasons behind what led the Ravens to move on from Harbaugh are myriad and included input from players, one source with direct knowledge of the process said. On the field, the devil was in the details for a title season that never came close to being. A Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills — in which Baltimore squandered a 15-point fourth-quarter lead, resulting in a wicked hangover and unshakable malaise — created painfully familiar mental scar tissue, several players told The Baltimore Sun after the Ravens stumbled to a 1-5 start. Injuries piled up, too. The offensive line was also inconsistent at best and a sieve at worst, particularly on the interior. All but a few players on the roster regressed from the season before. Jackson missed four games because of injuries and, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the situation, at times preferred certain quarterback run plays not be in the game plan. That, of course, limited Jackson’s superpower as one of the most dynamic and dangerous players in the NFL, and he finished with easily his fewest rushing attempts (5.2) and rushing yards (26.8) per game of his eight-year career. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s unit, meanwhile, had played tentatively and was scared to make even the smallest mistakes, according to one defensive player. Typically dependable players like cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins and inside linebacker Roquan Smith struggled down the stretch, according to Pro Football Focus analytics. Off the field, things went deeper than injuries, offensive and defensive struggles, and a quarterback seemingly less willing to run. Early in the season, veteran and respected voices in the locker room painted a picture of a group frustrated with offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s play-calling. One player stormed out of an offensive meeting amid the early-season slide. Harbaugh struggled to connect with some of the team’s younger players, one player said. It didn’t help, either, a source said, that Jackson continued to miss a practice a week for two straight months down the stretch, even as the Ravens’ season hung in the balance. The notion being that players — even a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player — need repetitions. The team also needed Jackson’s “juice,” the source said, because his presence was a magnetic force with the other 52 players on the roster. Quarterback Lamar Jackson, left, will have a new coach for the first time in his pro career after the Ravens fired coach John Harbaugh last week. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Over the final few weeks in particular, questions started to arise about the dynamic between Jackson, Harbaugh and Monken. Harbaugh continuously praised his quarterback and said his relationship with the star was “A-plus.” He also defended him in the wake of a Baltimore Sun column that raised questions about Jackson’s work ethic and having fallen asleep in meetings, a notion that the coach and quarterback publicly refuted. Monken later also disputed that there was friction within the group, though he indicated that things weren’t perfect. “Lamar and I, to me, had a good relationship,” Monken said last week on the “Ryan Ripken Show.” “Could it have been better? Of course. Lamar and I never had an issue. I don’t know where that comes from.” Now, though, the Ravens and Harbaugh will head in divergent directions. What’s next for Harbaugh Harbaugh has already drawn interest from a handful of teams, including the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins, according to a source with direct knowledge. He has begun sorting out opportunities, and the Falcons said Monday that they completed an interview. All of them make sense for one reason or another. The Giants are viewed as a legacy franchise, Harbaugh has a close relationship with co-owner, president and chief executive John Mara and family, and they have a young, enticing quarterback in Jaxson Dart. The Falcons feature a roster dripping with talent. They just hired former quarterback Matt Ryan as president of football operations, and the NFC South, where the 8-9 Carolina Panthers won the division, presents a fast track to winning. Related Articles READER POLL: Who should be the Ravens’ next coach? Ravens have 3 players named to All-Pro teams Staff picks for NFL wild-card round: Packers at Bears, Bills at Jaguars and more Josh Tolentino: Ravens, NFL should be ready to give Brian Flores a chance | COMMENTARY Steelers’ Chris Boswell supports Ravens’ Tyler Loop: ‘Anybody can go through it’ The Titans likewise have a captivating quarterback in Cam Ward, a general manager (Eric Borgonzi) who worked with close friend and Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid for years, and, for now, a defensive coordinator (Dennard Wilson) who worked under Harbaugh in Baltimore before leaving for Tennessee. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has close ties to Harbaugh, and he would bring the kind of gravitas the organization hasn’t had in decades, though the unsettled quarterback situation could be a turn-off. What’s next for Ravens Questions about that, though, will undoubtedly be asked when Bisciotti and DeCosta take questions from reporters at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. It will be the owner’s first time speaking with local reporters since 2022. It will also be DeCosta’s first time talking since before the season began. The biggest question will be what role, if any, Jackson played in Harbaugh’s firing. With Baltimore needing to reduce Jackson’s looming $74.5 million salary cap hit as it engages with extension talks with the quarterback, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the two could be connected as a way to engage the star in meaningful talks to get a deal done. It’s hardly the only intriguing question. How did the Ravens’ losses impact the decision? Was Harbaugh reluctant to make certain changes to his staff? What was the final straw? What direction the Ravens go with their next coach will also be a topic of conversation. Already, they announced that they have had interviews with Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Broncos pass game coordinator Davis Webb, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, former Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and former Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Others on the list include Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, and Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator and former Raven Anthony Weaver, among others. Now all that remains is to find out why they moved on from Harbaugh, the winningest coach in franchise history, after 18 seasons and who will be next. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

A new era is soon to begin in Baltimore. The Ravens last week fired coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons in Baltimore. The team has been interviewing myriad candidates since. Who will be the next coach in Baltimore? We want to hear from you. After you vote, leave a comment and we might use your take in The Baltimore Sun. The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To read the results of previous reader polls, click here. View the full article

Despite a collective down year, three Ravens were acknowledged for their individual performances by a national panel of 50 media members. Safety Kyle Hamilton and punter Jordan Stout were both named to the Associated Press’ NFL All-Pro first team. Fullback Patrick Ricard was named to the second team. This is Hamilton’s second All-Pro recognition. He was a vital organ in the Ravens’ defense, roving around most of the field. Hamilton took snaps at free safety (162), in the box as a pseudo linebacker (355), on the defensive line (164), at slot corner (298) and wide corner (24). He’s the most versatile chess piece on Baltimore’s defense and perhaps across the league. The 24-year-old who became the highest-paid safety in the NFL last offseason started all 16 games, forced two fumbles and registered a sack. Earlier this fall, Hamilton was asked what position he plays. He took a moment to answer. “Safety,” he said. “I would say safety. I was drafted as a safety. It says safety on the roster, probably. Safety.” Stout plays a more singular position. This year, he set himself up for a nice payday having earned his first Pro Bowl selection, first All-Pro honor and tying the franchise record with a 74-yard punt. Stout finished first in the NFL in net average punt yards (44.9) and accounted for the third-longest boot of the year. He placed 24 attempts inside the 20-yard line and consistently set up opposing offenses in disadvantageous field position. “I just feel like it’s all clicking,” Stout said, earlier this year. “I feel like I’m in a flow state. I’m not worried out there. I just go out there and do it, and I walk off the field.” Ricard was named an All-Pro despite missing the first six games of the year recovering from a calf injury. He paved the way for one of the NFL’s most productive rushing attacks. At the team’s locker room clean out, the 25-year-old showed immense gratitude for former Ravens coach John Harbaugh. “He’s a big reason why I’m here,” Ricard said. “He’s a big reason why I even had a chance to play fullback. I was an undrafted defensive lineman out of Maine, and he could have just looked at me as that, but he saw something in me and gave me the opportunity to make this team.” Ricard is a free agent this offseason. If it were up to him, he said he’d love to stay in Baltimore and eventually retire as a Raven. Baltimore’s three All-Pro players is half the number of Ravens honored had last year, when four made first-team and two were on second-team. This year, Los Angeles’ Matthew Stafford and New England’s Drake Maye filled the two All-Pro quarterback spots. Lamar Jackson was not an All-Pro after being recognized each of the last two seasons. Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and Bills running back James Cook edged out Derrick Henry in the backfield. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article

Baltimore Sun staff writers and FOX45’s Patrice Sanders pick every game of the NFL season. Here’s who they have winning in the wild-card round: Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers (Saturday, 4:30 p.m., FOX) Brian Wacker (9-7 last week, 176-95-1 overall): Rams Sam Cohn (8-8 last week, 176-95-1 overall): Rams Mike Preston (7-9 last week, 172-99-1 overall): Rams Josh Tolentino (9-7 last week, 176-95-1 overall): Rams C.J. Doon (7-9 last week, 172-99-1 overall): Rams Bennett Conlin (9-7 last week, 176-95-1 overall): Rams Tim Schwartz (9-7 last week, 163-108-1 overall): Rams Patrice Sanders (8-8 last week, 168-103-1 overall): Rams Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears (Saturday, 8 p.m., Prime Video) Wacker: Bears Cohn: Bears Preston: Packers Tolentino: Bears Doon: Bears Conlin: Bears Schwartz: Packers Sanders: Bears Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS) Wacker: Bills Cohn: Jaguars Preston: Bills Tolentino: Bills Doon: Bills Conlin: Jaguars Schwartz: Jaguars Sanders: Bills San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday, 4:30 p.m., FOX) Wacker: Eagles Cohn: Eagles Preston: Eagles Tolentino: Eagles Doon: Eagles Conlin: Eagles Schwartz: 49ers Sanders: Eagles Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots (Sunday, 8 p.m., NBC/Peacock) Wacker: Patriots Cohn: Patriots Preston: Patriots Tolentino: Patriots Doon: Patriots Conlin: Patriots Schwartz: Patriots Sanders: Patriots Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers (Monday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN/ABC) Wacker: Texans Cohn: Texans Preston: Texans Tolentino: Texans Doon: Texans Conlin: Texans Schwartz: Texans Sanders: Texans Have a news tip? Contact Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

Brian Flores deserves another chance to be an NFL head coach. As the Ravens prepare to interview Flores next week, they’ll weigh a resume worthy of opportunity against a history that still requires deep investigation. Flores, Minnesota’s defensive coordinator over the past three seasons, must prove he’s changed since his final tumultuous days as the head coach in Miami. Flores’ bare coaching credentials say that he’s worthy of another shot. Over three seasons as Dolphins coach from 2019 to 2021, the longtime Patriots assistant and four-time Super Bowl champion compiled a 24-25 record and guided back-to-back winning seasons in 2020 and 2021. I covered the 2020 season as a former Dolphins beat reporter, and that 10-6 record without a playoff appearance was no small feat for a franchise emerging from a teardown. Flores notably stood his ground during the Dolphins’ darkest chapter, alleging that owner Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 for every loss during his first season in 2019 to improve the team’s draft position. Flores’ refusal to tank, and his willingness to publicly challenge those practices, is commendable. Shortly after he was fired in February 2022, Flores sued the NFL and multiple teams, alleging the league was “rife with racism,” particularly in its hiring and promotion practices for Black coaches. He acknowledged the risk to his own career, but he said that the lawsuit was worth it if it created lasting change for future generations of minority coaches. Additional coaches later joined as plaintiffs. Flores spent the ensuing season as a senior defensive assistant to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. This week, the league petitioned to move Flores’ discrimination lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court, raising the question of whether Flores’ case will be resolved in court or in arbitration. Let’s be clear: It’s terrific that the Ravens are hosting Flores for a coaching interview. His name has emerged as a worthy candidate in this coaching cycle. But it’s also difficult to imagine any team fully committing to Flores while his lawsuit against the league remains active. It’s a reality that, fairly or not, continues to loom over every interview he participates in. To his credit, Flores has never backed away from that reality. When Flores and I crossed paths again in February 2023, a couple of weeks after he accepted his current position as Vikings defensive coordinator, he was candid about the consequences of his decision. During a shared multi-hour flight delay at the Indianapolis airport after the annual NFL scouting combine, Flores told me he was at peace with his choice and grateful to be coaching again. Before boarding a different flight, he made one thing clear: Flores still wants another shot to lead a team. He’s certainly earned his way back into that conversation. Flores spent a season under Tomlin in Pittsburgh before becoming defensive coordinator in Minnesota, where his impact has been immediate and measurable. Over the past two seasons, the Vikings have finished fifth and seventh in total defense, generating a league-high 13 forced fumbles this year. The Vikings’ defense has become aggressive, creative and opportunistic, offering a reflection of Flores’ ability to elevate an average roster through his scheme. Coaching acumen has never been the central question with Flores. It’s all about relationships. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa called his former coach a “terrible person” in August 2024, describing an environment that eroded confidence. Former quarterback and current Amazon Prime analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick echoed those concerns in a podcast appearance with Andrew Whitworth, saying that Flores became “unrecognizable” over time in Miami and burned bridges that still linger today. Has Flores grown as a communicator and relationship-builder over the past four years? That will be a key question in his looming interviews in Baltimore and elsewhere. Flores responded professionally to Tagovailoa’s comments, publicly wishing him success while flanked by players who clearly believe in him. He’s also rebuilt trust by recruiting former Dolphins linebackers Andrew Van Ginkel and Kamu Grugier-Hill, to join him in Minnesota over the past two seasons. Van Ginkel led the NFL in 2024 with two interception returns for touchdowns. Related Articles Steelers’ Chris Boswell supports Ravens’ Tyler Loop: ‘Anybody can go through it’ 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ disappointing 8-9 season 5 questions facing Ravens’ Steve Bisciotti, Eric DeCosta after Harbaugh firing Ravens’ Todd Monken explains 2025 failure, defends John Harbaugh, Lamar Jackson Who will coach the Ravens in 2026? Grok AI picks an offensive mind. Before the Vikings hosted the Ravens in November, Flores praised quarterback and two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson. “He’s improved and gotten better in all areas of his game this year after year after year after year,” Flores said. “He’s a perennial, essentially an MVP candidate year after year after year. When people talk about him or think about him, you think about the dynamic runs and the scrambles and the off-schedule plays. “This guy’s an excellent passer of the football, quarterback. Leadership, command of the offense, protections, deep balls, intermediate, short, scrambles — all of it.” The Ravens are only the first team to schedule an interview with Flores this offseason. NFL owners will express hesitancy with bringing him in, but his defenses demand the respect. Moving forward, Flores must own his past. The Ravens and other franchises should welcome his candidacy, examine it rigorously and demand evidence that he’s properly recognized and developed from his mistakes. If Flores has truly learned, the league should be ready to give him another chance. Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSportsand instagram.com/JCTSports. View the full article

Steelers kicker Chris Boswell immediately went to Tyler Loop after the rookie’s missed go-ahead field goal attempt in Baltimore’s 26-24 loss to Pittsburgh. As Loop walked slowly toward the locker room, still holding his helmet after the 44-yard misfire that ended the Ravens’ season Sunday night, Boswell stepped in front of him and took his hand for a moment. “I just wanted to run over to him and let him know, a kick is a kick. Got to move past it,” Boswell said. “When we fail, it’s in the public eye for everybody to see.” Had the Ravens won, Baltimore would have claimed the AFC North title and hosted the Houston Texans on Monday night in the AFC wild-card round. Instead, it’s Pittsburgh in the postseason. Loop had been perfect on kicks under 50 yards — 29-for-29 — before the miss and finished the season converting 88.2% of his attempts. After the game, he said that he knew he missed the kick the moment it left his foot, saying that he struck the ball too low. “I got back there and looked at the play clock. I saw 22 seconds. I took my steps, took over. I visualized what the ball looks like when it’s held down. Jordan [Stout] picked up his fingers, and that was my cue to go. I saw the ball, tried to visualize the ball going through the uprights where I wanted it, swung and the result didn’t match my process,” Loop said. For Boswell, an 11-year veteran with the Steelers, the moment was an opportunity for the young kicker to learn and grow. “Anybody can go through it. I just kind of wanted to give him that from someone who’s been there,” Boswell said. “There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel type thing. He knows this, but it’s up to him and he just got to move on and it’s about the next kick.” Pittsburgh’s kicker helped create the opportunity one drive earlier. After quarterback Aaron Rodgers hit receiver Calvin Austin III for a 26-yard touchdown with 55 seconds left, Boswell’s extra point attempt was blocked by safety Keondre Jackson. Related Articles 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ disappointing 8-9 season 5 questions facing Ravens’ Steve Bisciotti, Eric DeCosta after Harbaugh firing Ravens’ Todd Monken explains 2025 failure, defends John Harbaugh, Lamar Jackson Who will coach the Ravens in 2026? Grok AI picks an offensive mind. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti to speak with media for 1st time since 2022 Keaton Mitchell returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards, and Lamar Jackson then led the Ravens 27 more yards to the Pittsburgh 26. Boswell said that he wasn’t concerned whether his kick, which missed wide right, was tipped or simply mishit. He said that he just has to make it next time. “You can’t tell on film whether it’s tipped or whether it’s just a shank kick,” Boswell said. “But at the end of the day, whether it’s a block or not, it’s on me and I got to put it in and we’ll move past it.” Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, or x.com/Mikephowes. View the full article

On a dreary Sunday night in Pittsburgh, one of the most disappointing seasons in Ravens history came to a crashing close. Not 48 hours later, Baltimore fired coach John Harbaugh. This whiplash season had no shortage of storylines good and bad, and ultimately proved a defining year for the organization. The Ravens missed the playoffs and finished below .500, both firsts since 2021. Here are five things we learned: John Harbaugh’s tenure ran its course When Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti fired his coach of 18 years, he jammed his thumb into the reset button. It was time. Harbaugh steadied the ship when the team could’ve capsized. He won a Super Bowl. He consistently coached his teams to playoff contention. But this season’s disappointments — a below .500 record despite championship forecasts, empty seats to watch the worst home record (3-6) in the organization’s 30-year history and another haunting exit — were enough to convince Bisciotti it was time. “Following a comprehensive evaluation of the season and the overall direction of our organization, I decided to make a change at head coach,” Bisciotti said in a statement. “This was an incredibly difficult decision.” This year was supposed to be different. Harbaugh introduced transparency in training camp with a full-scale grading system that, he thought, would clean up the kind of football minutiae that ousted the Ravens each of the previous three years, one hauntingly disastrous play at a time: Tyler Huntley’s goal-line fumble in the wild-card round, Zay Flowers’ goal-line fumble in the AFC championship game and Mark Andrews’ goal-line drop in the divisional round. “When you go through the things that we’ve gone through, in terms of different games and things like that, they can see when we do those things well, most of the time, the game’s not even close,” Harbaugh said in August, hoping to clean up midseason blunders and playoff collapses. “When we don’t do those things well — we haven’t been blown out, but we’ve given teams a chance to beat us.” The Ravens were chasing perfection in August, barely gave themselves a chance to sneak into the playoffs in January and were again undone by one excruciating kick. Those singular plays were not on Harbaugh alone, but rather a culmination of a team falling short. A team with enough talent to not be in those situations in the first place. They showed fight until the very end, as evidenced by the turnaround from a 1-5 start, but several players described their season with one defiant descriptor: They “underperformed.” “Our goal has always been and will always be to win championships,” Bisciotti wrote. “We strive to consistently perform at the highest level on the field and be a team and organization our fans take pride in.” Harbaugh’s legacy should not be whitewashed by how it ended. But to the final question he took as Ravens coach, wondering whether he’d like a chance to run it back with the same group, even Harbaugh sounded tired. “Yes, I love these guys,” he said. “I love these guys.” ‘Self-inflicted wounds’ left Ravens defense crestfallen, not ‘feared’ The Ravens’ defense promised to be feared. They vowed to be the kind of group who ripped heads off and snatched footballs, leaving opposing ball carriers to shrivel up at the thought of sharing the same patch of grass. They failed. One assistant coach from a rival team called Baltimore “soft” — a punishing insult and telling accusation. Related Articles 5 questions facing Ravens’ Steve Bisciotti, Eric DeCosta after Harbaugh firing Ravens’ Todd Monken explains 2025 failure, defends John Harbaugh, Lamar Jackson Who will coach the Ravens in 2026? Grok AI picks an offensive mind. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti to speak with media for 1st time since 2022 Ravens coaching search: DraftKings shares odds for Harbaugh replacements “There were a lot of highs and lows this year, a lot of just self-inflicted wounds,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “We just never quite got to be the brand consistently, drive after drive, that we kind of wanted, game after game. It just was rough.” There was a fourth-quarter comeback allowed in Buffalo. Detroit bullied Baltimore on the ground. Kansas City scored a season-high 37 points against the Ravens. A six-game streak holding opponents to fewer than 20 points would look a lot better if more than two were against playoff teams. Yes, the Ravens shut out the Bengals on the road, which is a commendable feat against any team, but by and large, their defense struggled most against playoff quarterbacks in prime time. In September, Humphrey relayed a message from Harbaugh, who told the defense that they weren’t mature enough yet. There were signs as the leaves changed that the defense had too. Then Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers authored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives without his No. 1 receiver. Baltimore’s defense — a well-paid, talented group which performed beneath its capabilities — finished this season ranked 17th by defense-adjusted value over average. They tumbled from a sixth-place finish last year, Zach Orr’s first as the defensive play caller. Last year’s group enjoyed a midseason turnaround from the pit of the NFL to one of the league’s toughest. This year’s defense planned to carry the torch and instead required a similar turnaround, only to crumble as the curtains closed. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry still got it Shame on us for ever considering otherwise. Jackson took a beating this year and it seemed, in his age-28 season, that his body might have started to break down. He dealt with injuries to most of his lower half, a back contusion and winter sickness. It was a down year by most metrics. His decision making raised, at times, raised eyebrows. There were even some outside voices (wrongly, very wrongly) insisting that Tyler Huntley should start in his place Week 18. Henry, 32, fumbled each of the first three weeks of the season then again in Week 16. There were times when he struggled to break into space. Times he apologized to the fan base and pointed the finger at himself. Henry toiled through four games failing to eclipse 100 yards. Then a three-game slump. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson celebrates with running back Derrick Henry after Henry runs for a touchdown against the Patriots. The duo wasn't at its best throughout all of 2025, but the backfield teammates showed flashes of why they're both bound for the Hall of Fame. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Both superstars are bound for Canton, Ohio. Sculptors should get a head start on shaping their Hall of Fame busts. Neither has fallen off. They each finished the season on the highest of high notes. Jackson waited until the last quarter of the season. He spun a pair of ridiculous touchdown drives that resembled vintage Jackson. Down to the Ravens’ last try to save the season, a fourth-and-7 from midfield, he launched a perfectly placed pass to tight end Isaiah Likely. He “made some phenomenal plays,” Harbaugh said, that would be overshadowed by the loss. Henry shouldered the load with a season-saving performance a week earlier. He rushed for 216 yards on 36 carries for four touchdowns. Harbaugh called it “one of the greatest performances” that he’d ever seen. We all probably had the same thought. Henry matched his career high in touchdowns and set a new mark in carries while clocking his most single-game yards since 2022. If the Ravens are going to win a Super Bowl anytime soon, it will be that backfield duo hoisting the trophy. It took all year, but the biggest training camp question was resolutely answered in January In late May, at the start of optional offseason practices, Harbaugh was asked for the first time a prescient question: Is there risk involved to having a rookie kicker backstop for a championship-caliber team? “There’s a lot of risks in life,” Harbaugh said, readying to dodge that harsh reality entirely. “There’s a risk when you get in your car; you’ll be driving home in this rain. I want you to be very careful. It’s going to be risky out there on that road.” If memory serves correctly, it was raining that spring afternoon. But even then, folks at every level of the organization knew that by replacing their longtime positional stability with a sixth-round rookie out of always-sunny Arizona, rather than a proven commodity, they were taking a risk that may not pay off. Seven months later, Tyler Loop thinned a 44-yard field goal attempt in Pittsburgh that would have sent the Ravens to the playoffs. Ravens kicker Tyler Loop reacts after missing a field goal at the end of a 26-24 loss to the Steelers. The rookie kicker was perfect from inside 50 yards until the 44-yard miss in Week 18. (Gene J. Puskar/AP) That kick alone did not dispel Baltimore’s season. Nor was it the sole cause to Harbaugh’s effective firing. But Loop hadn’t been truly tested in those conditions — game on the line in the chilly AFC North — all year. The Ravens proved not to be a Super Bowl contender but had a chance to atone for their regular-season blemishes. Loop “just mishit the ball,” he said. It was a gutting end to an otherwise positive rookie campaign. Before that fateful swing, Loop was a perfect 29 of 29 from inside 50 yards. It was the long ball where his accuracy destabilized. He was given four tries from beyond 50 in the regular season, making only one from 52 the first week of the season. Still, Loop wasn’t called on in crunch time until Baltimore’s season depended on it. There’s a common Silicon Valley axiom: “Fail fast.” Maybe if Loop missed a critical kick early in the year he would’ve been more prepared for Pittsburgh. Instead, the ball sailed right and thumped to the turf, where a Western Pennsylvania-based priest had apparently blessed the end zone. Loop’s miss conjured haunting memories of Billy Cundiff in 2012, the year before Baltimore won a Super Bowl with an undrafted rookie kicker named Justin Tucker. Loop was called on as the successor to Tucker, who was cut a few months after being accused of sexual misconduct. Tucker built a Hall of Fame worthy career over 13 seasons as a Raven. Those are big shoes to fill. All season, Loop was built up to be his long-term replacement. We heard senior special teams coach Randy Brown tell the story of his first meeting with Loop and the qualifying traits the 24-year-old showed at a restaurant in Tucson, Arizona. Holder Jordan Stout said Loop has the “biggest leg I’ve ever seen.” And Harbaugh was adamant about his confidence the kid had what it takes. He still might. While Loop came to terms with the hardest moment of his football career, his teammates in the visiting locker room at Acrisure Stadium insisted that this would be the starting point of a successful career. We can’t know for sure if Loop remains in line to be the team’s kicker of the future (Cundiff never kicked in Baltimore after his playoff gaffe). We do know while it is risky to drive through a messy downpour, it’s also risky to pin your team’s playoff hopes on an untested kicker while 60,000-plus yellow towels swirl in his peripheral. Loop wasn’t ready for that moment. General manager Eric DeCosta didn’t invest enough in the trenches Let’s start here: social media isn’t real life. Those lowlight reels of right guard Daniel Faalele make him look far worse than the whole of his body of work. Second-year left guard Andrew Vorhees didn’t take nearly as much of the flack and struggled just as badly. Still, both proved major holes in an offensive line that struggled to keep Jackson upright. Ravens guard Daniel Faalele, shown in September, was inconsistent for Baltimore at right guard. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) In late November, Jackson was informed by a reporter that he had matched his sack total from all of last year in 10 fewer starts. “I got to talk to the offensive line about that,” he said, lifting an eyebrow. “I’m going to holler at my guys about that.” Jackson finished the season sacked 36 times in 13 starts, two off his career high but the worst sack rate (10.65%) and most lost yardage (239) of his career. Time and again, Baltimore’s offense began to hemorrhage when blown pass protection sent pass rushers flying toward a quarterback playing through lower-body injuries or when they couldn’t consistently create rushing lanes for Henry. The only year-over-year change to Baltimore’s offensive line was to backfill a departing Patrick Mekari with Vorhees and later rotate in third-round rookie Emery Jones Jr. As for the defensive line, general manager Eric DeCosta couldn’t have predicted such a brutal string of injuries; namely the season-ending neck injury to Nnamdi Madubuike. He could have taken a bigger swing to address the edges, though. Second-round rookie Mike Green rounded into form the second half of the season but never showed the kind of first-year dominance that some expected. Odafe Oweh, who hit double-digit sacks last year, failed to bring down any quarterback before being traded to Los Angeles, where he finished with 7 1/2 sacks for the Chargers. A 34-year-old Kyle Van Noy slowed down after two productive seasons. Midseason acquisition Dre’Mont Jones injected new life into the pass rush but couldn’t get the Ravens over the hump. A talented secondary can only hang on so long when the pass rush struggles to make quarterbacks uncomfortable. The Ravens were tied for 30th in sacks and 29th in pressure rate. Bottom line: A team-high five sacks (Travis Jones) won’t cut it for a playoff team. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti will have a news conference Tuesday at 2 p.m. from inside the nearly $100 million house he built at 1 Winning Drive in Owings Mills. It will be his first time speaking with local reporters in nearly four full years. That’s what happens when you fire an 18-year head coach who has the most victories in franchise history, won a Super Bowl and reached the playoffs a dozen times, including four AFC championship game appearances. But, Bisciotti will also be joined by general manager Eric DeCosta, who in recent years has typically sat alongside John Harbaugh in the team’s season-ending sessions. This, of course, is an atypical situation, though. DeCosta hasn’t met with reporters since before the season began, so while there will be plenty of questions directed at him, there will likely be far more for the 65-year-old owner. The last time Bisciotti did talk was during the 2022 NFL owners meetings, when the Ravens were involved in contract negotiations with quarterback Lamar Jackson. It was also in the wake of Deshaun Watson’s five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract from the Cleveland Browns after getting traded by the Houston Texans — a deal that was $80 million more than the previous league record for fully guaranteed money at signing. “I’m trying to answer that when I had a reaction to it. And it’s like, ‘Damn, I wish they hadn’t guaranteed the whole contract,’ ” Bisciotti told reporters then. “I don’t know that he should’ve been the first guy to get a fully guaranteed contract. To me, that’s something that is groundbreaking, and it’ll make negotiations harder with others. “But it doesn’t necessarily mean that we have to play that game, you know? We shall see. If I was in bogged-down negotiations with Lamar, then maybe I would have a quicker reaction to that news.” Now, the Ravens are in a similar position again. Jackson and the Ravens have begun contract talks about another extension. There are two years left on his current $260 million contract, which includes no more guaranteed money as well as a prohibitive $74.5 million salary-cap hit each of the next two seasons, and the clock is ticking. But Bisciotti is also looking for a new coach, one who can get through to and connect with Jackson in a way that it seems the previous regime no longer could. Here are the five biggest questions Bisciotti and DeCosta are facing. Why now? Amid Bisciotti’s eight-paragraph, 265-word statement announcing Harbaugh’s firing, there was plenty of praise but no explanation on why a change was needed. The Ravens had regressed each of the two past postseasons, there’s no denying that. The reasons are myriad, but the way in which Baltimore’s seasons came to an end has been startlingly familiar. As one source said before the news broke about Harbaugh’s firing, though, the Ravens were in need of just a “reset,” not an “overhaul.” The belief was that with one of the most talent-rich rosters in the NFL, they were closer to success than not, despite the issues that plagued them this year. Now, the overhaul has arrived. How much influence did Lamar Jackson have in John Harbaugh’s firing? In the NBA, superstars wield significant power and there are endless examples of players getting coaches ousted. That happens far less frequently in the NFL, in which 53 players make up a roster and one player has less sway on an outcome. Related Articles Ravens’ Todd Monken explains 2025 failure, defends John Harbaugh, Lamar Jackson Who will coach the Ravens in 2026? Grok AI picks an offensive mind. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti to speak with media for 1st time since 2022 Ravens coaching search: DraftKings shares odds for Harbaugh replacements Watch Episode 20 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law The exception, of course, is the quarterback, which is the most important position in American sports. Did Jackson not want Harbaugh back? Surely no one would come out and say that in almost any endeavor. But Bisciotti is also paying Jackson to be the face of the franchise, and if an extension is worked out he figures to be the highest-paid quarterback again, so changing coaches isn’t something the Ravens are doing without any input from their biggest star and most important player. Who will be the coach and what kind of coach do the Ravens want? Harbaugh is an establishment coach. He operated more like a CEO. He’s also 63 years old, well past the average age of today’s NFL coaches. Will the Ravens hire someone inexperienced but on the rise — as they did with Harbaugh nearly two decades ago when they tapped him from relative obscurity as the Philadelphia Eagles special teams coordinator and then defensive backs coach — or will they go with a more established figure who has head coach experience? This coaching cycle doesn’t have the obvious young, hot-shot coordinator the way it did with now Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson or Seattle Seahawks coach and ex-Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. Or perhaps that person is out there just in Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula or Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson scrambles during a Week 18 loss to the Steelers. It's unclear how much influence Jackson will have on Baltimore's coaching search, but the organization will need to find a new coach who works well with the superstar. (Matt Durisko/AP) How much say will Jackson have? See above. If the Ravens are hitching their immediate future to Jackson — and there’s no evidence to suggest otherwise, at least at the moment — then finding a coach who can both get through to and be on the same page with the 29-year-old quarterback is paramount. Otherwise, what was the point in making a change? Baltimore has also shown a willingness to cater to Jackson, signing wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and DeAndre Hopkins — two players Jackson asked for — in consecutive years. They also brought in cornerback and former college teammate Jaire Alexander. Beckham had 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns in 2024. Hopkins had 22 receptions for 330 yards and two scores this season. Alexander appeared in two games and was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in November before deciding to step away from football. How will the culture and structure change, if at all, going forward? Over the past 18 seasons, Harbaugh and the Ravens built a culture that was the envy of almost every organization around the league. That was obvious not just in the praise he, DeCosta and others received during that span but in the reaction around the league in the wake of Harbaugh getting fired. Many were surprised, including former NFL coach Tony Dungy, who flat out questioned the decision and said “good luck” finding a better coach in a post on X. Former Ravens coach John Harbaugh, shown with guard Daniel Faalele, is credited with helping build Baltimore's strong culture. (David Richard/AP) But with Harbaugh out, what will it mean for not just that culture but the organizational structure? Though DeCosta is the general manager, Harbaugh certainly had significant input on personnel decisions, both in the draft and with the roster as a whole. What will that look like with a new coach? Stay tuned, but it’s hard to imagine a young coach having much pull if Baltimore goes that direction, meaning that all the personnel decisions — good and bad — would be on DeCosta. These are also just some of the dozens of questions that Bisciotti and DeCosta will face Tuesday. Others will most certainly include those about Jackson’s contract status and if he’ll remain in Baltimore, what the Ravens need to do to finally get back to the Super Bowl and how much longer Bisciotti wants to own the team. What answers there will be remains to be seen. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article