The Baltimore Ravens were initially one of nine teams in search of a new head coach this offseason. After they fired John Harbaugh, they quickly became the hottest spot for potential head coaching candidates. However, that hasn’t stopped other teams from quickly agreeing to deals with new hires. That list of coaching vacancies has shrunk to seven.
The New York Giants tipped the first domino, officially signing Harbaugh to a lucrative deal on Saturday. That same day, the Atlanta Falcons came to an agreement with Kevin Stefanski for him to become their next head coach.
ESPN sources: the Atlanta Falcons are finalizing a deal to hire Kevin Stefanski as their new head coach. The two-time NFL Coach of the Year flew to Atlanta on Saturday, and now will stay on to take over the Falcons’ head coaching job. pic.twitter.com/1Kc4MKygos
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 18, 2026
There haven’t been many reports about which of Baltimore’s 15 listed candidates have caught their eye thus far, but many projected Stefanski to become the heir to Harbaugh. According to reports, Stefanski was even one of the coaches set to have a second interview with the Ravens next week.
Stefanski was reportedly set for a second interview next week.
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) January 18, 2026
The Ravens’ opening is the NFL’s best, but it’s not good enough to stop the carousel. https://t.co/ZpKu2hqHjI
Baltimore’s front office has obviously been taking its time with deciding on its next coach, but with Stefanski off the table, they may have to start picking up the pace on the hiring process.
Ravens miss out on Kevin Stefanski
Stefanski is a name that the Ravens fanbase was split on for the most part. His lack of recent success with the Cleveland Browns didn’t look pretty, especially with an elite defense. However, he also hasn’t had a ton of talent on offense, and when he’s been given that talent, he won the Coach of the Year award on two separate occasions.
Stefanski would have been a fun match for Lamar Jackson and Baltimore’s offense. The 43-year-old coach is a savant when it comes to the rushing attack. In 2019, as the Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator, he led the running game to sixth in the NFL in yards. From 2020 to 2022, his Browns’ running game was top 10 in the NFL. With Jackson and Derrick Henry, he could’ve done some serious damage.
Regardless, it sounds like the Ravens could trend toward bringing in a defensive-minded coach. A lot of reports have mentioned the front office could be targeting Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Other notable names thrown out there include San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Still, Stefanski’s hire makes it clear the hiring cycle is getting into full swing, and Baltimore needs to start moving closer to finding their guy.