This week's edition of the PFR mailbag dives into questions about the 2026 head coaching market, the long-term outlook of teams in need of a new HC, the Cowboys' pending offseason and the Jets' looming quarterback decision.
Dylan asks:
Were you surprised the Ravens fired John Harbaugh given what is out there in this coaching market? Do you think he ends up with one of the teams who have already fired a coach or with a playoff team lurking?
There’s always a bit of uncertainty during the leadup to any coaching cycle. For 2026, many have been warning for quite some time that the top-end candidates aren’t at the same level of past years.
I agree with that sentiment, so in that sense the timing does comes across as somewhat odd. On the other hand, the Ravens were widely seen as a Super Bowl contender entering the year. Going 1-5 to start and then winding up out of the postseason is a very damning result. Harbaugh’s meeting with owner Steve Bisciotti reportedly saw him advocate for maintaining his current staff in spite of its shortcomings in 2025.
