Browns will likely be interested in John Harbaugh as a possible replacement for Kevin Stefanski
CLEVELAND, Ohio — If you can’t beat him, see if he’ll join you.
The Ravens rocked the NFL world on Tuesday by parting ways with 18-year head coach John Harbaugh, the Super Bowl-winning coach who’s owned the Browns, his hometown team growing up, since he took over the Ravens in 2008.
The Browns, who fired Kevin Stefanski on Monday morning, will undoubtedly have interest in Harbaugh, 62, who went 27-8 against the Browns, including 12-5 in Cleveland. Browns GM Andrew Berry is leading the coaching search, and likely just put Harbaugh high on his list. It will be that way for most teams with a vacancy.
The Browns have already requested an interview with Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator, Todd Monken, for their head coach vacancy. Monken, who’s been the Ravens’ OC since 2023, was the Browns’ OC in 2019 under Freddie Kitchens. In Baltimore, he coached Lamar Jackson to some of his finest seasons.
Harbaugh’s agent, Bryan Harlan, received calls from seven teams interested in Harbaugh in the first 45 minutes after his firing, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported. There are seven NFL vacancies, including the Ravens’, meaning there’s a good chance the Browns have already called.
Harbaugh was fired after the Ravens finished 8-9 following their 26-24 loss to the Steelers on Sunday night. They had a chance to win the AFC North with a victory, but rookie kicker Tyler Loop, their sixth-round pick, missed the 44-yard game-winning field goal attempt as time expired. The Steelers clinched the division instead.
The Browns are conducting a thorough search for their next head coach, and are open-minded about which side of the ball he comes from. So far, Monken is their only known request. They’re also expected to interview Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz for their opening.
The Browns would love to retain Schwartz even if he doesn’t get the head coach job, and it remains to be seen if Harbaugh or another head coach will keep him. Harbaugh also likes Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, a source tells cleveland.com.
Harbaugh came from special teams, and parlayed that experience into a wildly successful run with the Ravens, including 185 wins over his 18 seasons. He also boasts 13 winning seasons and 24 playoff games. He’s also led the Ravens, first with Joe Flacco and then with Lamar Jackson, to a total of four AFC North titles.
A Toledo native, Harbaugh is extremely well thought of by the Browns organization. He also has deep Cleveland roots, with his mom, Jackie, having graduated from Shaw High. He still has plenty of family here, and he and his brother Jim, head coach of the Chargers, grew up attending Cleveland Indians games and were huge Browns fans.
“All of our family on my mom’s side is from Cleveland, and all of my family on my dad’s side is Browns fans. We all grew up Browns fans,” Harbaugh said in 2018.
But if the Browns really want him, they’ll likely have to fight hard for him. He’s expected to become a leading candidate for the Giants, who are interviewing Stefanski on Wednesday.
Harbaugh, who instantly becomes the hottest candidate on the market, has been a constant on the Ravens’ sideline for nearly two decades, a rarity in a league defined by churn and quick exits. Hired in January 2008 after a long NFL stint as a special teams coach, Harbaugh arrived in Baltimore without the buzz of a play-calling pedigree. What he brought instead was organizational discipline, attention to detail and an ability to manage an entire operation — traits that are high on the Browns’ list.
Harbaugh took over a team built on defense and toughness, and his early success came quickly. In his first season, the Ravens went 11–5 and reached the AFC Championship Game with a dominant defense and with Flacco at the helm as a rookie. That formula — physical football, situational excellence and postseason poise — became a Harbaugh hallmark. From 2008-14, Baltimore reached the playoffs six times, never finishing worse than 8–8, while establishing itself as one of the league’s most difficult teams to prepare for.
The peak of Harbaugh’s early tenure came during the 2012 season, when the Ravens surged through the playoffs and defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. The championship validated Harbaugh’s steady approach and cemented his credibility inside the locker room, where he was known for demanding accountability while empowering veteran leaders. It also marked the beginning of a rare distinction: Harbaugh and Jim, then coaching the 49ers, became the first siblings to oppose each other in a Super Bowl.
As the roster evolved, so did Harbaugh. The transition from Flacco to Jackson in 2018 reshaped the Ravens’ identity and showcased Harbaugh’s adaptability. Rather than forcing Jackson into a traditional system, Harbaugh committed fully to a run-heavy, option-based offense tailored to his quarterback’s unique skill set. The result was a 14–2 season in 2019, Jackson’s unanimous MVP award and another reinvention of Baltimore’s offensive philosophy.
While postseason success has been uneven in recent years, Harbaugh’s teams have remained competitive despite injuries and roster turnover. His leadership has been especially valued during periods of transition, with general manager Eric DeCosta and owner Steve Bisciotti consistently backing his long-term vision. Harbaugh’s ability to refresh his staff, modernize schemes and maintain locker-room credibility has allowed the Ravens to avoid the boom-and-bust cycles common elsewhere.
Measured not just by wins but by sustained relevance, Harbaugh’s tenure stands as one of the defining coaching runs of his era — a blend of stability, adaptability and organizational trust rarely matched in today’s NFL.
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