After nearly two decades under John Harbaugh's leadership, the Baltimore Ravens are heading in a new direction. While it gives the Ravens the opportunity to bounce back from their disappointing season, teams around the NFL are now jumping at the opportunity to make Harbaugh their next head coach. He's already become the top candidate for multiple franchises.
Luckily, those franchises have mostly been outside of the AFC North. But that might all change after another shocking bit of coaching news. Mike Tomlin has stepped away from football, leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach position open. The news has sent shockwaves through the league, even leaving Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti dumbfounded. Bisciotti said jokingly that he'd consider hiring Tomlin "only if John takes the Pittsburgh job."
If Harbaugh lands with the Steelers, it could be the beginning of a nightmare for the Ravens.
Mike Tomlin's Steelers exit leaves Ravens facing a terrifying John Harbaugh possibility
The Steelers announced on Tuesday that Tomlin has decided to step down after 19 seasons as the team's head coach. Tomlin has built a reputation as the most consistent coach in football, never producing a losing season. As shocking as it may be to see the legendary coach actually part ways with Pittsburgh, the move always felt like it was coming. The Steelers have had no playoff success over the last decade, so a change was bound to come at some point.
But the move opens up a frightening possibility for Ravens fans. Now, the Steelers emerge as a potential landing spot for Harbaugh. Clearly, this is a franchise that values experience and consistency. If those are their criteria, they won't find anyone more qualified than Harbaugh. It wouldn't be surprising at all to see the Steelers make a late push for the former Ravens head coach.
Per NFL insider Dianna Russini, the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, and Tennessee Titans are the current favorites to land Harbaugh. Each of those landing spots makes sense. These are franchises lacking consistency, in need of an experienced coach to turn the tide. But from Harbaugh's perspective, those teams may still be a few steps away from being competitive.
The Steelers, on the other hand, have shown the ability to reach the postseason on a consistent basis. That pedigree, along with the opportunity to compete with the franchise that just fired him, could end up being enough to sway Harbaugh's decision.
At this point, there hasn't been any smoke around the connection between Harbaugh and Pittsburgh. But this is a story Ravens fans should be watching closely in the coming weeks.