Ravens Fire HC John Harbaugh
John Harbaugh‘s lengthy Ravens tenure is coming to an end. The Super Bowl-winning head coach has been fired, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The news is now official, per a team announcement.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz describes this as a mutual parting of ways, although in the wake of Week 18 Harbaugh expressed a desire to continue in his current role. That will no longer be the case. The remainder of the coaching staff is currently being informed of the news, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network adds.
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Harbaugh believed he would be safe as of earlier today, Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport notes (video link). A lengthy conversation with owner Steve Bisciotti resulted in today’s decision being made, Schultz adds. It appears a split existed between the two on the matter of coaching staff makeup.
Harbaugh refused to entertain the thought of dismissing offensive coordinator Todd Monken, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. That proved to be a “key pressure point” leading to this unexpected news. Monken had overseen back-to-back Lamar Jackson first-team All-Pro seasons, but a rumor about the Ravens being ready to consider coordinator changes emerged shortly after the 26-24 loss to the Steelers. The Browns have requested an HC interview with Monken.
“Following a comprehensive evaluation of the season and the overall direction of our organization, I decided to make a change at head coach,” Bisciotti said. “Today I informed John that he has been relieved of his duties. This was an incredibly difficult decision, given the tremendous 18 years we have spent together and the profound respect I have for John as a coach and, most importantly, as a great man of integrity.”
Leading up to the regular-season finale, many suggested a firing would come as a surprise. In the aftermath of Baltimore’s last-second loss on Sunday night, though, it remained unclear whether or not the 18-year partnership between team and coach would continue. Harbaugh had three years remaining on his contract thanks to the extension he signed last March. Now, the Ravens will conduct a head coaching search for the first time since 2008.
Especially in the early portion of his Baltimore tenure, Harbaugh enjoyed a strong run of success. Baltimore won at least one playoff game during each of his first five years in charge. That span was highlighted by victory in Super Bowl XLVII against a 49ers team lead by his brother Jim. Harbaugh and quarterback Joe Flacco (whose career began in 2008) quickly developed a reputation for playoff success. This culminated in a dominant postseason run that included road wins over the No. 1-seeded Broncos and No. 2-slotted Patriots, leading to that dramatic win in the Harbaugh Bowl.
Consistent turnover at the offensive coordinator spot in particular proved to be a common theme through much of the Harbaugh-Flacco era, and over time the postseason runs led by them became less frequent. Still, Harbaugh’s eight road wins in the playoffs remain an all-time NFL record (h/t Schefter). The 2025 campaign represents only his third in which the Ravens finished with a losing record.
As Flacco aged, his regular-season showings began to wane and questions were raised about a potential succession plan. In 2018, Baltimore traded back into the first round to select Jackson. A Flacco back injury opened the door for Jackson to take on starting duties as a rookie midway though the campaign, and a strong finish to the season avoided what would have been a fourth straight year outside of the playoffs at the time. Before the Ravens had clinched a spot, though, Harbaugh had already received a new commitment from Bisciotti.
Overseeing the Ravens’ transition to a far different offense with Jackson, things went well early on. Jackson unanimously won the MVP award in 2019, with Harbaugh taking home Coach of the Year honors. Baltimore was the AFC’s No. 1 seed that year and faced high expectations as a result. An upset loss to the Titans proved to be one of many shortcomings in January that Baltimore has encountered since then, however.
During Jackson’s eight-year career, the Ravens have reached the playoffs six times. Injuries (including in 2025) have played a factor in the instances where that was not the case, but all told Baltimore has reached just one AFC title game in that span. The Ravens lost to the Chiefs as the No. 1 seed. Breaking through in the AFC playoff picture will be a goal early and often for Harbaugh’s successor, someone who will inherit a roster led by Jackson and several other highly-regarded players on both sides of the ball.
Harbaugh, meanwhile, will instantly be seen as a top candidate in the 2026 pool presuming he decides to coach next season. The 63-year-old was mentioned early today as someone on the radar of HC-needy teams like the Falcons and Giants. Interest is expected to be widespread around the league.
Overall, Harbaugh’s Baltimore tenure ends with 12 playoff appearances (including six division titles). His regular-season win percentage sits at .614 and his resume includes a 13-11 record in the postseason. Harbaugh signed six extensions as Ravens HC, including one that made him one of the NFL’s highest-paid HCs earlier this year. A former special teams assistant during Andy Reid‘s Eagles stint, Harbaugh now faces an uncertain future for the first time in nearly two decades.
Commanders, Kliff Kingsbury Part Ways
A weekend report indicated Kliff Kingsbury would not be a lock to return as Commanders OC. Despite his offense helping Jayden Daniels to Offensive Rookie of the Year acclaim in 2024, Kingsbury is indeed out in Washington.
The sides are parting ways, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero classifying it as a mutual decision. After the Commanders pried Kingsbury from the Raiders’ grasp in 2024, the former Cardinals HC will be a coaching free agent again. Multiple OC options are set to present themselves, with Pelissero adding Kingsbury is drawing HC interest as well.
[RELATED: Commanders Fire DC Joe Whitt]
The weekend offering from The Athletic’s Dianna Russini indicated Kingsbury and GM Adam Peters were not seeing eye-to-eye. This separation will stand to make Kingsbury a coveted OC option, and it will be interesting to see which teams reach out regarding head coaching interviews. While this gives Kingsbury more options, the Commanders will now throw Daniels into a new offense.
This separation comes after a Kingsbury meeting with Dan Quinn, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds it comes after Daniels gave his OC a strong endorsement. Other members of Washington’s offense were “blindsided” by the move, per insider Jordan Schultz, who adds key players on offense are disappointed in this decision.
Daniels dazzled as a rookie, separating from a deep QB class. Daniels’ breakout season booked the Commanders into the NFC championship game for the first time in 33 years. The former Heisman winner’s sophomore NFL slate, however, became an injury-riddled slog. Daniels suffered three injuries and played in only seven games. In those seven games, his completion percentage cratered compared to his rookie year — from 69.0 to 60.6 — and his yards per attempt dropped to 6.7.
Still, Kingsbury was viewed as a high-end HC commodity last year — even on a market that included Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson. The resurgent staffer opted to stay with Washington, preferring his place coaching Daniels. It is difficult to say Kingsbury’s stock has dropped too far. The Titans are interested in meeting with him to discuss their HC position; an interview request is expected. Kingsbury, 46, will now be free to meet about that job in-person at any time. The Giants have also expressed interest, likely giving a dismissed coordinator at least two HC interview opportunities.
While Matt Nagy resides as a likely frontrunner to reunite with Mike Borgonzi in Tennessee, Kingsbury also brings second-chance HC appeal as a coach who has helped two quarterbacks to Pro Bowls. Although Kyler Murray struggled in 2022, Kingsbury guiding the Cardinals’ dual-threat option to first-ballot Pro Bowls in 2020 and ’21 has aged well given the passer’s mid-2020s standing. Daniels gliding to Rookie of the Year honors on Kingsbury’s watch also bolsters the coach’s prospects to land on his feet — especially on a market thin on offensive-minded HC candidates.
It certainly should not be considered a lock Kingsbury receives another HC opportunity during this cycle, but with six vacancies and limited options for OC types, he could be the ultra-rare coordinator to be let go and land a top coaching job.
Kingsbury does have a history of unusual coaching transitions. Texas Tech fired him after the 2018 season, leading him to USC as the planned Trojans OC. But the Cardinals instead hired the ex-Patrick Mahomes college mentor as their head coach. Kingsbury went 28-37-1 in four Arizona seasons, guiding the team to the playoffs in 2021 but finishing 4-13 in 2022.
That led the Cards to fire him despite authorizing an extension months earlier. Kingsbury coached QBs at USC in 2023, allowing him to tutor Caleb Williams that season. Kingsbury then came close to a Raiders OC agreement in 2024, but after Las Vegas only offered a two-year deal, Washington’s three-year offer convinced him to back out of negotiations with the AFC West team.
Washington should see no shortage of interested candidates for its OC position, and after a 5-12 showing, Quinn needs to tab a quality option. The Commanders’ largely Daniels-less season brought a 27th-place finish in scoring and last-place ranking in yardage. The season also featured Terry McLaurin missing extensive time. Washington’s 2025 rankings figure to ding Kingsbury, but his previous work will certainly appeal to teams.
Cowboys Fire DC Matt Eberflus
The Cowboys will once again have a new defensive coordinator next season. Matt Eberflus has been fired after one year in that role for Dallas, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The news is now official, per a team announcement.
For much of the campaign, struggles on defense proved to be a major detriment to the Cowboys. As that trend continued late in the season, support for Eberflus emanating from owner Jerry Jones seemed to wane. Today’s news thus comes as little surprise, although it comes earlier than expected.
Eberflus lasted less than three seasons during his first head coaching gig, with his Bears tenure ending in November last season. His background as a coordinator led to DC interest in general and ties to the Cowboys in particular. From 2011-17, Eberflus served as Dallas’ linebackers coach. He returned to his former team with the intent of improving a unit which struggled last season under Mike Zimmer.
Things did not go according to plan, to say the least. Under Eberflus, the Cowboys finished last in the NFL in scoring defense and 30th in yards allowed. Struggles in the secondary were a consistent theme all year, with many players having trouble adapting to his zone-heavy scheme. Improving at the cornerback and safety spots will no doubt be an offseason priority regardless of who replaces Eberflus.
Dan Quinn enjoyed a strong three-year run as Dallas’ defensive coordinator before taking his second career head coaching gig. His departure to Washington led to Zimmer’s return to the Cowboys in a familiar D-coordinator role. As expected, the decision to part ways with head coach Mike McCarthy last winter also resulted in Zimmer being replaced. That led to Eberflus’ arrival, but the Cowboys now find themselves in need of a fourth different DC in as many years.
Brian Flores was recently named as a Dallas target for the defensive coordinator position. He has thrived in that role with the Vikings for the past three years, a stretch which has helped his stock and is expected to lead to widespread interest around the league. Flores does not have a contract for next season, but discussions have taken place with Minnesota. It will be interesting to see if the 44-year-old demonstrates a willingness to take charge of the Cowboys’ defense as he weighs his options.
According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, it is currently unclear if any other changes will be made on Dallas’ defensive staff. Further departures would come as little surprise given the team’s struggles on that side of the ball in 2025 but also the trend of new coordinator arrivals bringing in outside assistants.
Jason Garrett To Interview For Titans’ HC Position
Jason Garrett has made a somewhat surprising return to the NFL radar. The former Cowboys coach-turned-NBC analyst is on track to interview for the Titans’ HC job, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano reports.
Virtually off the PFR pages since the 2021 season, Garrett last worked in the NFL as Giants OC from 2020-21. He is best known, of course, for a nine-plus-season run as the Cowboys’ HC. Certainly a polarizing figure in the NFL, Garrett represents the second ex-Cowboys HC to land on the Titans’ radar during this cycle. The team has been linked to Mike McCarthy as well.
Now 59, Garrett has served as a Football Night in America analyst (with occasional booth work in place of Cris Collinsworth) and a Notre Dame announcer. He was linked to the Duke and Stanford jobs earlier this decade but has been off the coaching radar since.
Viewed as a high-end coaching candidate once upon a time, Garrett succeeded in spurts and certainly was on a long leash under Jerry Jones. Regularly viewed as a coach who avoided the chopping block, Garrett did lead the Cowboys to three playoff berths during his time at the helm. This included divisional-round trips in each season, though the second of those involved a one-and-done as the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The Cowboys missed the playoffs in 2019, representing a disappointment as Dak Prescott played the season on his fourth-round contract after failed extension talks, and Jones finally cut the cord several days after the season.
Garrett went 85-67 as Cowboys HC, and while he did interview for the Chargers’ HC job in 2021, the former Dallas quarterback has been mostly out of the mix for a top sideline role since his 2020 firing. The Giants fired Garrett in November 2021. Daniel Jones did not show much progress under Garrett, who coached the Eli Manning successor in his second and third seasons.
Garrett did do well mentoring Tony Romo, and Prescott emerged quickly despite being a fourth-round pick. Garrett was not the Cowboys’ play-caller throughout this period, though, regularly operating as a CEO coach. This interview, however, surely will not go over well with a sizable sect of Titans fans. A number of candidates are in the mix for this position, as GM Mike Borgonzi is running his first coaching search.
Falcons Rework Kirk Cousins’ Contract
Kirk Cousins recently expressed an openness to staying in Atlanta; as the franchise overhauls its staff, it does not appear that will happen. The Falcons restructured Cousins’ contract Tuesday, and the move points the high-priced quarterback out of town.
The Falcons’ redo will drop Cousins’ 2026 salary from $35MM to $2.1MM, according to ESPN’s Field Yates, who passes along a significant date that will most likely change the QB’s address soon. The Falcons have placed a $67.9MM guarantee for 2027 in this restructure, and a 2026 trigger date is now in place.
[RELATED: Matt Ryan Expected To Take Prominent Front Office Role]
If Cousins is on Atlanta’s roster by March 13, that $67.9MM 2027 number locks in, per Yates. It is extraordinarily unlikely the Falcons or any other team will want any part of that number, pointing to a release before that date. This restructure does not change any Cousins guaranteed money for 2026.
As long as Cousins is off the Falcons’ roster by March 13, he will only count $10MM in remaining guarantees. This restructure will increase the dead money number — currently at $35MM — for a 2026 release, however.
The Falcons entertained trade talks involving Cousins last year, but the team wanted an acquiring club to eat a sizable portion of Cousins’ 2025 money. Nothing happened, and Cousins remained Michael Penix Jr.‘s backup entering the season. A Penix injury ended up making Cousins an eight-game starter, but the younger passer will be on track to reclaim his job ahead of the 2026 season.
Cousins, 37, sought a Falcons release early during the 2025 offseason. He met with Arthur Blank about a release last March, but the owner refused the request. Cousins signed a four-year, $180MM contract that came with $90MM at signing in March 2024. Rather than trade or release Cousins last March, the Falcons allowed the additional $10MM guarantee (for 2026) to vest, marking a bit of a surprise since they had demoted him for Penix late in the 2024 season.
Cousins finished with 10 touchdown passes and five interceptions during his 2025 Penix relief stint, but his completion percentage (61.7) and yards per attempt (6.4) represented career-low figures — in terms of seasons he has been his team’s primary starter. He could still appeal to a team as a bridge option, seeing as the ex-Washington draftee has 167 starts on his resume and three playoff appearances as a primary starter. Cousins was coming off an Achilles tear in 2024 and developed arm trouble that season as well. While the current version of Cousins is unlikely to excite QB-needy teams, he could serve as a passable stopgap.
The financially shrewd passer’s days of commanding starter-level deals are probably over, however. Cousins famously scored a three-year, $84MM Vikings deal that came fully guaranteed in 2018, doing so after being twice franchise-tagged on his way out of Washington. After Cousins and the Vikings could not agree on a fourth contract in 2024, he hit free agency and landed with a Falcons team that saw hopeful starter Desmond Ridder disappoint. The Falcons then drafted Penix eighth overall six weeks later. Cousins was blindsided by the unusual move and said it would have affected his decision to sign had he known a top-10 QB pick was on tap.
Ohio State WR Carnell Tate Declares For 2026 Draft
Ohio State wide receiver and projected first-round pick Carnell Tate is planning to leave school early and declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Tate, 20, arrived in Columbus in 2023 and managed to carve out a small role on offense as a freshman, despite the Buckeyes’ crowded receiver room. He stepped into the No. 3 job in 2024, and averaged 48.9 yards per game with four touchdowns on the season. This past season, he posted 79.5 yards per game with nine touchdowns, positioning himself as one of the top receiver prospects eligible for the 2026 draft.
Ohio State is known as ‘WRU,’ or Wide Receiver University, for their history of producing elite NFL wideouts under longtime receivers coach (and ex-Dolphins WR) Brian Hartline. (Hartline recently took a head coaching job at South Florida, so it will be interesting to see if that affects OSU’s status as the most consistent producer of pro-caliber wide receiving talent.)
Tate is the latest product out of that pipeline, which includes former teammates Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. along with 2022 and 2023 first-rounders Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Based on those names alone, it is easy to see why NFL teams would be interesting in adding a Buckeyes receiver of their own.
Tate’s resume is not limited to his school. In addition to his solid traditional stats, he logged 3.03 yards per route run and a 85.7% contested catch rate, per Pro Football Focus. He also was not charged with a drop on 66 targets this season. Between his reliable hands, consistent route-running, and 6-foot-3 frame, Tate has plenty to offer that could fit in any NFL offense. He is already seen as a potential top-10 pick, and a strong gauntlet of testing at the NFL Combine in March could secure his stock.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/6/26
While many teams are making major decisions on head coaches, those remaining in the playoffs are still tweaking their practice squads before the wild-card round this weekend. Here are the latest updates:
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Julian Hicks, WR Kisean Johnson, TE Messiah Swinson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Luke Grimm
- Released: TE Tanner McLachlan
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Ben Niemann
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Jeremiah Pharms
- Released: CB Brandon Crossley
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DB Parry Nickerson
- Released: DB Ambry Thomas
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: DB Brandon Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: OT David Sharpe
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/6/26
Four teams signed players to reserve/futures contracts on Tuesday, though only the Dolphins made more than two moves. Here are the latest updates:
Detroit Lions
- OL Seth McLaughlin
Indianapolis Colts
- LB Joseph Vaughn
Miami Dolphins
- WR AJ Henning, DT Alex Huntley, LB Derrick McLendon, LB K.C. Ossai, OL Josh Priebe, OL Kion Smith
Washington Commanders
- G Tyler Cooper, WR Nick Nash
Panthers EVP Brandt Tilis To Interview For Falcons’ Football Ops. Job
The Falcons have another candidate for their newly-created president of football operations role: Panthers executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis.
Tilis is set to interview for the role, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, though ex-Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan appears to be a frontrunner for the position. Atlanta is nonetheless obligated to interview other candidates, who may also emerge as figures in their search for a new general manager.
Tilis came up in the Chiefs’ front office, starting as a salary cap analyst in 2010 and eventually rising to vice president of football operations in 2021. In 2024, he interviewed for the Panthers’ GM position, and though that ultimately went to Dan Morgan, Tilis still came to Carolina in a VP role. Carolina went 5-12 in their first year under their new front office and improved to 8-9 this year to secure the franchise’s first NFC South crown since 2015.
While head coach Dave Canales‘ work with Bryce Young and the Panthers offense has yielded clear results on the field, Morgan and Tilis have knocked their roster moves out of the park. Major investments, like drafting wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and signing safety Tre’von Moehrig, have paid off, and Carolina’s roster is peppered with key contributors on excellent contracts that were signed in the last two offseasons. Among them are safety Nick Scott, cornerback Michael Jackson, and running back Rico Dowdle.
The Falcons’ focus on Ryan seems to close the door on Tilis securing the top football operations job, but his initial discussion with the team may keep him in the race for general manager, as well. The other known candidate for that job is Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham, who the team has already requested to interview.
Atlanta will likely finalize Ryan’s hiring as director of football operations before moving onto their GM and head coach selections, by which time Tilis’ name may come back up. He could also draw interest from another team looking to reshape their front office with an executive who helped build a dynasty in Kansas City and has contributed to Carolina’s rapid return to relevance.
Raiders Request HC Interview With Broncos’ Davis Webb
Broncos pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb may jump from one AFC West franchise to another. The Raiders have requested a head coaching interview with Webb, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Webb, who will turn 31 on Jan. 22, has seen his stock soar during his brief coaching career. A former Giants, Bills and Jets quarterback from 2017-22, Webb immediately dove into coaching when his playing days ended. He has been part of head coach Sean Payton‘s staff for three seasons. Webb worked solely as the Broncos’ QBs coach for two years before Payton added to his responsibilities this season.
Denver did not make the playoffs in 2023, the last year of the ill-fated Russell Wilson era, but has evolved into an AFC superpower since then. Quarterback Bo Nix, a first-round pick in 2024, took over as the Broncos’ starter as a rookie. The team went 10-7 and broke an eight-year playoff drought. The Broncos improved to 14-3 in 2025, earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC, and are on a bye week in the first round of the playoffs.
Webb has played an important role in Nix’s development, which is part of the reason the Broncos are on the shortlist of Super Bowl favorites. Nix, who finished third in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2024, has continued to serve as a nice complement to an elite Denver defense this season.
Nix and the Broncos swept Las Vegas during a nightmare campaign for the Raiders. After finishing 3-14, the Raiders fired Pete Carroll on Monday. At 74, Carroll became the oldest head coach in NFL history during his lone season with the Raiders. Webb will become one of the youngest ever hired if he lands the Raiders’ job, but he’ll have to beat out several other candidates, including Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
Ending up in Vegas would presumably give Webb another opportunity to work with a young signal-caller. The Raiders are expected to select a quarterback with the first pick in the 2026 draft.