Time is ticking on the Baltimore Ravens’ coaching search. They have two interviews left to go of their 15 candidates, and they’re getting set to conduct a second round of interviews for some coaches here pretty soon. However, with John Harbaugh signing with the New York Giants and Kevin Stefanski joining the Atlanta Falcons, the pace is picking up on the hiring cycle.
In the eyes of the media, Stefanski seemed to be a top option for Baltimore. According to reports, Stefanski appeared to be one of those coaches set for a second interview, but ultimately, he inked a deal with the Falcons early in the offseason.
There are plenty of other candidates on the Ravens’ board, but for some, they’ll have to wait to conduct in-person interviews due to their teams still being in playoff contention. For others, though, Baltimore’s front office will get that chance to have in-person interviews. After the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers were eliminated in the Divisional Round on Saturday, the schedules of Joe Brady and Robert Saleh just opened up.
Update on the Ravens' coaching candidates with the Broncos and Seahawks winning Saturday:
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) January 18, 2026
🟣 Ravens must wait to do in-person interviews with Klint Kubiak, Vance Joseph and/or Davis Webb
⚫️ Joe Brady, Robert Saleh can now interview in person
🟣 Falcons hired Kevin Stefanski pic.twitter.com/nbRz03PHmF
Ravens could make a move on two coaching candidates after playoff exit
Buffalo’s offensive coordinator Joe Brady and San Francisco’s defensive coordinator Robert Saleh have been polarizing candidates during this process. Everyone has their pros and cons. For Brady, it’s been the lack of consistency and creativity from the Bills’ offense in 2025. For Saleh, it’s his failure with the New York Jets as head coach from 2021 to 2024.
Starting with Brady, he may have saved his best for last on Saturday. His offense hung 30 points on an elite Denver Broncos defense, and he showed plenty of creativity along the way to get his team back into contention to win that game.
All year, Brady has also helped pave the way for the league’s best rushing attack. That’s Baltimore’s bread and butter, and while it’ll obviously be a new coaching regime, the front office has leaned toward a run-first philosophy for the franchise’s entire existence.
Saleh’s defense didn’t look great against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night. The 49ers were blown out 41-6, and while their defense gave up less than 300 yards, it was clear the Seahawks did whatever they wanted on offense.
Regardless, it was apparent that Saleh’s unit simply ran out of gas. They’ve been fighting the injury bug all year, and Saleh was showcasing his ability to get the most out of his players, no matter who they were.
When given the right pieces, Saleh has been an outstanding defensive leader. His groups tend to finish near the top of the NFL, and after a horrendous year on defense, the Ravens need a mind like that on their sideline. While his first go-around as a head coach with the Jets was rough, a talented roster like Baltimore’s could make for a better run.