The Cleveland Browns continue to pursue John Harbaugh, though it remains unclear whether the veteran coach will ultimately sit down for an interview with the AFC North franchise.
Harbaugh, who spent nearly two decades leading the Baltimore Ravens, is widely regarded as the premier coaching candidate on the market. While he has drawn interest from virtually every team with a vacancy, he is expected to be selective as he trims his list of potential destinations. To date, the Atlanta Falcons are the only organization to publicly confirm an interview.
Still, Cleveland remains in the mix. The Browns have held “extensive” conversations with Harbaugh as he weighs his next move, signaling continued mutual interest even without a formal interview scheduled.
“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,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported. “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.”
Report: Harbaugh Intrigued by Browns Job
The Browns are not the most attractive opening. There’s no clear answer at quarterback, there are multiple holes on the offensive side of the ball, and they have won just eight games over the past two seasons.
However, a Harbaugh has a link to Cleveland, which could aid in the Browns’ pursuit of the Super Bowl winner.
“Harbaugh, 63, is believed to be intrigued by the Browns job, in part because of his strong Cleveland roots. His mom, Jackie, graduated from Cleveland’s Shaw High, and his dad, Jack, also grew up in Ohio and was a huge Browns and Guardians fan,” Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com said. “Jack took John and his brother Jim, the head coach of the Chargers, to games of both teams when they were growing up.
“If the Browns’ goals and parameters of the job align with Harbaugh’s, he’ll likely have them on his short list.”
Harbaugh spent 18 seasons with the Ravens and compiled a 180-133 regular-season record. He led the Ravens to victory in Super Bowl XLVII.
Browns Lining Up Other Interviews
While the Harbaugh pursuit is underway, the Browns have continued to schedule other interviews. Cleveland held interviews with their coordinators, Tommy Rees and Jim Schwartz. The team also announced interviews with Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher, Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde, and Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
Mike McDaniel, another recently fired head coach, was slated to interview on Monday. McDaniel was let go by the Miami Dolphins but had some solid years. He went 35-33 in his four seasons in Miami, and 0-2 in the playoffs.
During his end of season press conference, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam stressed how important the next few months are for his franchise.
“The next 120 days are crucial for the organization,” Haslam said. “We’ve got to find the right head coach. We’ve got to be efficient again in free agency. We have 10 draft picks, including two number ones. We have four picks in the top three rounds. And we’ve got to get really good players who are really good people again. We’ve got to be opportunistic if trade opportunities come along. We are solely focused on having a great 120 days so we can start winning games around here.”
Browns Get Significant Update on John Harbaugh Pursuit