Join the huddle. Sign up here for Ravens updates in your inbox.
The Ravens are searching far and wide for their next head coach.
As of Sunday night, at least 10 coaches had interviewed with the team or received interview requests. And the candidate pool could get even bigger this week.
With Steve Bisciotti expected to address John Harbaugh’s firing Tuesday, the Ravens owner’s first availability with local reporters since 2022, the team’s head coaching preferences should come into focus.
As the search unfolds, here’s what reporters Jonas Shaffer and Giana Han and columnist Kyle Goon make of the Ravens’ next big step.
What are you most interested in hearing from Steve Bisciotti on Tuesday?
Shaffer: We may never know what was said in Tuesday’s meeting that led to the Bisciotti-Harbaugh breakup, but I want to know how much pressure the next coach will be under to win immediately. Let’s say the Ravens, undercut by injuries and an overrated roster, have an even more disappointing 2026. Could Bisciotti pull the rip cord after only one season? Patriots owner Robert Kraft did not wait to move on from Jerod Mayo to go land Mike Vrabel, and look at New England now. With Lamar Jackson perhaps aging out of his athletic prime, how much patience will Bisciotti have while the Ravens are in this so-called championship window?
Read More
Han: Even though it’s now in the past, I want to know the why behind firing Harbaugh because of what it could mean for the future. Many of the rumors circle back to Jackson. Some people are reporting Jackson had a beef with Harbaugh, some are reporting the veteran leadership (which would include Jackson) was out on Harbaugh, and others are saying Jackson had issues with offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Although it’s understandable for the owner to listen to the franchise quarterback, I think it’s important to know just how much power Jackson has, so we can understand what that means for the future. Does that mean he (and his teammates) will have a say in who is hired? Are they hiring people who will do what Jackson wants or who will challenge him? If they don’t pick someone Jackson likes, does that mean his contract negotiations are at risk? It may be too much to ask, given how mysterious Jackson’s camp likes to be, but transparency would be nice.
Goon: We know the Ravens had some distinct shortcomings, but I want to know directly from Bisciotti which ones made him pull the plug on Harbaugh. It has been reported that he and Harbaugh did not see eye to eye on the future of Monken, but that almost feels insubstantial to end an 18-year relationship. Was it also about the defense, led by handpicked Mike Macdonald successor Zach Orr? And did Bisciotti really fire his head coach by phone? It’s not certain we will get definitive answers to these questions on the podium, but what led to Harbaugh’s dismissal should give a clear picture of what Bisciotti thinks most urgently needs to improve.

How much influence should Lamar Jackson have over the coaching search?
Shaffer: The Ravens shouldn’t worry too much about whether Jackson will like the next coach’s plans for the offense. He’s talented enough and versatile enough to make just about any kind of scheme work. But they should consider how Jackson relates to the candidates on their short list. In an offseason with this much change, the Ravens will need total buy-in from Jackson. If the next head coach opens organized team activities with his most important player elsewhere, the optics will be bad and the on-field consequences could be worse. Jackson and the next head coach need to move in lockstep. This can’t feel like an arranged marriage.
Han: Jackson should certainly be front of mind when picking a head coach. If he’s the person you’ve built your team around, he should have a good relationship with the head coach. But there’s also the question of how much power you want to give one player, especially one whose thoughts remain mysterious most of the time. You want someone who meshes with Jackson but who also pushes him — and he might not hand-select that coach. And while Jackson is the most important component of this roster, there are dozens of other players the head coach has to reach. I’d say Bisciotti should evaluate how the coach will fit with Jackson but not give him undue power.
Goon: I don’t know if Jackson should have extra influence over the search, but obviously the Ravens need to hire someone who can build a close personal relationship with their franchise quarterback. The future of this head coach will be tied at the hip to Jackson’s success. The Ravens need someone who can relate to Jackson, command his respect and push him to new heights. I don’t think it’s necessary to bring in an offensive-minded coach to pick someone who can make inroads with Jackson, but it has to be one of the top three or four qualifications in the search.
Should the Ravens hire an offensive- or defensive-minded coach?
Shaffer: Considering the outsize impact that play-callers like Andy Reid, Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan have had on their franchises — and the inherent variance in defensive performance from year to year — finding an offensive genius is always the smart idea. But that’s easier said than done, especially this coaching cycle. Will Bisciotti really be willing to bet on Klint Kubiak or Joe Brady or Davis Webb being the next big thing when the defensive candidates are seemingly more qualified? If the goal is to win a Super Bowl over the next two years, I think it’s easier to pair a defensive guru head coach with an overqualified offensive coordinator than it is an offensive guru head coach with an overqualified defensive coordinator.
Han: Although the idea of an offensive-minded coach who can bring Jackson to new heights is a great idea, I think leaning defense might be the way to go. With an offensive-oriented head coach, an offensive coordinator and Jackson, there might be too many cooks in the kitchen. And the Ravens did fine for two years with an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach bringing out the best in Jackson while the head coach stayed out of the play-calling.
This franchise is built on defensive excellence, and that’s where it has fallen off. A defensive coach could help re-establish that identity, and a partnership between a defensive coach and an outstanding offensive coordinator seems more fruitful.
Goon: Look at what happened to the last OC who set records with the Ravens. Monken went from career-best success with Jackson in 2024 to struggling in 2025. This may be an unpopular opinion, but I think the next head coach should be defensive-minded, and you find a red-hot OC to connect with Jackson. If Jackson and an offensive head coach don’t jell in Year 1, that coach is already on the hot seat, to say the least. The best arrangement is probably to bring in a defensive genius and have more flexibility on offense as the new era begins.
What would a realistic dream Ravens staff look like?
Shaffer: Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores as head coach. Former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator. Denver Broncos defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard as defensive coordinator. Is it realistic? Who knows? Is it worth a shot? Hell, yeah. Flores is a chaos agent on the sideline, and Vikings players have painted a very different picture of his personality than his former Dolphins players. McDaniel created explosive offenses with even questionable offensive lines in Miami. And Leonhard, once a highly successful defensive coordinator at Wisconsin, is on the rise again in the NFL. Although coordinator jobs with play-calling duties are preferable to those without — Flores would likely remain in charge there — the move to Baltimore would represent a promotion for Leonhard.
Han: This may be borderline unrealistic, but I would like a coaching staff with Jesse Minter (head coach), Joe Brady (offensive coordinator) and Anthony Weaver (defensive coordinator). Brady and Weaver would have to leave coordinator jobs for a lateral move to another team. However, the Ravens are one of the top organizations in the league, and perhaps that could be a draw. I like the idea of Minter bringing his creativity and fresh approach to the team as a whole while Weaver helps re-establish the Ravens’ brand. Both have Ravens ties, but Weaver recently coached some of the players who will most likely return next year. He also has experience as an assistant head coach — the question is whether he’d be willing to remain a coordinator, especially under a similarly aged, similarly experienced head coach. As for Brady, fans seem to love the idea that he’s got that South Florida connection for Jackson. Although Bills fans’ critiques that his play-calling has become stale are concerning, he’s built an offense that has made impressive comebacks. And he knows how to work with superstar quarterbacks.
Goon: I love the idea of a Brian Flores-Mike McDaniel pairing ... but I’m not sure if it makes real-world sense. McDaniel was hired as Flores’ successor in Miami, which would be awkward, to say the least. If the Ravens wind up with Flores, whose defensive credentials and Patriots coaching roots make him attractive, what about Brian Daboll as an OC? The former Giants coach has almost no buzz for any opening that I’ve seen, but this is the guy who helped develop Josh Allen and had a lot of success initially in New York.
This also might be a weird styles fit, but if the Ravens were to get a Flores-Daboll combo or something similar, I would call Anthony Weaver and ask if he has interest in coming back to be Baltimore’s DC. Weaver can give new coaches a grounding in the Ravens’ way of doing business and help get the team culture back to where it was two years ago.
Which assistant coach should the Ravens prioritize keeping on their staff?
Shaffer: Special teams coordinator Chris Horton’s work with a young Ravens roster this year was impressive. Despite a string of injuries, he had most units executing at a high level by the end of the season. The Ravens finished 12th overall in efficiency, according to FTN, a strong bounce-back from last season. Run game coordinator Travis Switzer is a lesser-known assistant coach, but Ravens players I’ve spoken to have raved about him. He interviewed for the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator job after the 2024 season, and this year, despite injuries, inopportune fumbles and inconsistent offensive line play, the Ravens finished fourth in rushing efficiency.
Han: There are a few position groups that did well in the 2025 season, but none outperformed like the defensive line. Coach Dennis Johnson lost his Pro Bowl star in Nnamdi Madubuike early and then lost Broderick Washington, a regular in the lineup. Although Travis Jones didn’t reach the pass rush heights they had predicted, he was playing without Madubuike and alongside a group of edge rushers who weren’t bringing the heat. Meanwhile, Johnson got the most out of veterans John Jenkins and Brent Urban and the youthful C.J. Okoye, who has played football for only three years. The run defense was one of the Ravens’ more reliable units this season, despite the injuries to critical players.
Goon: Jonas probably nailed his pick with Switzer, but I would put in a word for running backs coach Willie Taggart. Taggart helped get a good season out of Justice Hill in 2024, and Keaton Mitchell had an impact in his comeback in 2025. Rasheen Ali found a role with Hill’s injury. What might have sealed Taggart’s fate, unfortunately, is that Harbaugh kind of hung him out to dry when the Ravens went with their controversial RB rotation at the end of the Patriots game. But, as far as individual development, you could argue Taggart has done a good job.





Comments
Welcome to The Banner's subscriber-only commenting community. Please review our community guidelines.