Media reports around John Harbaugh continue to differ as several interviews with NFL teams loom, but one of the most recent and prominent updates has the Cleveland Browns out of the running for the head coach before the contest officially begins.
Connor Hughes of SNYtv reported on Monday, January 12 that fellow candidates for top jobs around the league already believe that Harbaugh has narrowed his focus to two organizations — neither of them Cleveland, or even in the AFC at all.
The expectation is the runner-up would turn its focus to Kevin Stefanski.
“Coaching candidates believe the race for John Harbaugh is down to the [New York] Giants and the [Atlanta] Falcons, per @Connor_J_Hughes,” Yahoo Sports posted to X. “The expectation is the runner-up would turn its focus to Kevin Stefanski.”
Harbaugh is probably the most sought after candidate on the market during this cycle after the Baltimore Ravens made a somewhat surprising decision to axe him after 18 highly successful seasons in the AFC North Division, which included a Super Bowl title in 2012.
Stefanski is also among the most likely head coaching candidates to land a new job in 2026 after the Browns parted ways with him following a six-year stint in Cleveland.
John Harbaugh Remains Engaged in ‘Extensive Talks’ With Browns, Other Franchises
GettyFormer Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
Hughes’ report is somewhat contradictory to the most recent news coming from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who indicated that Harbaugh is narrowing down the final list of teams with which he will interview and that the Browns are firmly in that mix.
“While the Falcons announced an official interview with former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, he already has been conducting preliminary and extensive phone calls with the Giants, Titans, Browns, Raiders and Cardinals, per sources,” Schefter reported on social media. “He is trying to determine who to meet with later this week and into next week before making a decision. He is fully expected to coach in 2026, per sources.”
Getting into the mix eligible franchises for Harbaugh is the first hurdle Cleveland must clear. The 63-year-old coach apparently wants $20 million in annual salary and $10 million each season for his staff budget, per Tony Gross of ESPN Cleveland.
The Browns are capable of meeting those demands if they desire Harbaugh enough and believe his value is equal to the asks. However, Harbaugh also wants final say over all personnel decisions and potentially the right to install a handpicked general manager — presumably assuming that he doesn’t see a strong future and/or fails to vibe with whatever GM is in place.
Where Cleveland and general manager Andrew Berry, who kept his job this offseason while Stefanski lost his, stand on that issue remains unclear.
Browns Have Several Quality Options Outside of John Harbaugh, Including Mike McDaniel
GettyFormer Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.
There are other quality candidates beside Harbaugh available, so it isn’t the end of the world if Cleveland can’t land an interview with him, or if it does and he ends up with the Giants or Falcons anyway.
For instance, the Browns interviewed former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel on Monday. McDaniel spent four years in South Beach, his first stint as a head coach in the NFL, earning a regular-season record of 35-33 over that span along with two trips to the playoffs (0-2).
Cleveland has also already conducted interviews with current defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees for potential elevation into the lead role.
The Browns have interviews scheduled with Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher and former Ravens OC Todd Monken, as well as several other meetings scheduled/requested with prominent names from across the league.
Latest John Harbaugh Update Knocks Browns Out of Contention