NFL Appeals Portion Of Brian Flores Lawsuit To SCOTUS
A portion of Brian Flores’ lawsuit against the NFL and a handful of its clubs may be heading to the United States Supreme Court. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the league has filed a petition for writ of certiorari with SCOTUS in an effort to keep all of Flores’ claims in arbitration rather than open court.
In August, Flores’ claims against the league and three teams – the Broncos, the Giants, and the Texans – were allowed to proceed to court rather than remain in arbitration. In affirming that decision and ruling against the NFL, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals reasoned that Flores never signed contracts with mandatory arbitration language with those clubs (the basis for his claims against those three teams is that they allegedly conducted sham head coaching interviews to comply with the Rooney Rule).
On the other hand, because Flores and co-Plaintiffs Steve Wilks and Ray Horton had signed contracts with the Dolphins, Cardinals, and Titans, respectively, and because those deals included a mandatory arbitration provision, the claims against that trio of teams remained in the purview of Peter Harvey, the arbitrator whom commissioner Roger Goodell appointed.
The NFL sought a rehearing of the Second Circuit’s decision – originally made by a three-judge panel – before the court’s full 13-judge bench, but that request was denied. Left with no other alternative, the league is now seeking review from the highest court in the land.
Of course, the Supreme Court grants only a small fraction of the petitions for writ of certiorari it receives each year. The NFL has presented the following question for review:
Whether an arbitration agreement governing disputes in a professional sports league is categorically unenforceable under the Federal Arbitration Act because it designates the league commissioner as the default arbitrator and permits the commissioner to develop arbitral procedures.
By narrowing the scope of the question to professional sports leagues, the league is allowing the court – if it chooses to hear the case – to narrow the scope of its eventual holding in the same way. In other words, even if the court rules in the league’s favor, it would not necessarily be greenlighting CEOs of all industries to preside over arbitration claims involving their companies in the same way that Goodell (or his designee) has presided over arbitration claims involving the NFL.
The NFL’s petition will further delay any trial or hearing on the merits of the suit, which Flores initiated nearly four years ago. In the meantime, Flores’ coaching career is still going strong.
The 44-year-old just finished a successful three-year run as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator, and now that he is out of contract, he and Minnesota are discussing a new deal. Though he has been mentioned as a candidate for the Raiders’ head coaching vacancy, only the Ravens have put in a formal HC interview request as of the time of this writing.
Dolphins’ GM Hire Could Improve Giants’ Odds Of Landing John Harbaugh; Miami HC Job Not Viewed As Desirable
The Giants have been connected to former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh from the moment Baltimore fired him last week, with initial reports saying New York is “all-in” on the former Super Bowl winner. The Dolphins have also contacted Harbaugh, but in the estimation of the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (video link), Miami’s GM hire is good news for Big Blue’s pursuit.
The ‘Fins recently named Jon-Eric Sullivan as their new general manager, bypassing Chad Alexander in the process. Interestingly, Alexander – who worked for the Ravens during 11 of Harbaugh’s 18 years with the club – was added to Miami’s GM search just hours before Baltimore relieved Harbaugh of his duties. The Chargers have employed Alexander as their assistant GM since Harbaugh’s brother, Jim, became the Bolts’ head coach in 2024.
Without the Harbaugh connection in place at the top of the Miami front office, Garafolo believes one potential suitor is off the board. Plus, he suggests Harbaugh – who could have his pick of non-Ravens teams in need of a head coach – may not want to join the Dolphins anyway due to their uncertain quarterback situation and difficult salary cap picture, which could necessitate a reset of sorts.
Fox Sports’ Eric D. Williams echoes that sentiment. Citing Tua Tagovailoa’s contract and 2025 performance, cap constraints, and an aging roster, only one of the league sources with whom Williams spoke ranked the Miami post among the top three HC vacancies in the league. The Giants offer a more promising roster, which includes a rookie-contract quarterback in Jaxson Dart who flashed in 2025, and that is one of the reasons why the New York job is generally considered to be a more attractive one.
We heard just yesterday that Harbaugh is watching film on Dart and Tennessee QB Cam Ward and is staying in touch with decision-makers for both the Giants and Titans as well as members of his most recent Baltimore coaching staff. In a separate report for the NFL Network (video link), Garafolo says the Giants are not taking a “Harbaugh-or-bust” approach to their HC search, though he does acknowledge they are hoping they make Harbaugh’s short list and will land an interview with him. While Garafolo does not say so explicitly, the NFL Network included a graphic indicating former Browns HC Kevin Stefanski is one of the team’s other top candidates.
Paul Schwartz of the New York Post says that if the Giants truly want Harbaugh, they may need to step outside of their comfort zone on multiple fronts. In addition to commanding a salary at or near the top of the HC market – although a portion of that will be offset by the roughly $34MM the Ravens are obligated to pay through the end of the 2028 season – Harbaugh ran what one league source called a “big program” that may include additional investments in a larger coaching staff, team facilities, and other aspects of the operation.
Per Schwartz, Harbaugh will also want assurances that he will be able to hire any coordinator or coach he wants without financial constraint. Nonetheless, he is said to be willing to have a conversation with GM Joe Schoen, and considering the appeal of their vacancy, it is not surprising that Schwartz believes the Giants are squarely in the mix for Harbaugh’s services.
More Details Emerge On John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Exit
This coming Tuesday, Ravens team owner Steve Bisciotti will meet with the media to do an interview with reporters for the first time in four years, per a report from The Athletic, featuring Dianna Russini, Jeff Zrebiec, and Ian O’Connor. The topic of discussion will center around his ultimate decision to dismiss John Harbaugh, the head coach of the past 18 seasons and only the third head coach in the franchise’s 30-year history. 
Harbaugh’s tenure as the head coach in Baltimore came to an end following a loss in the team’s regular season finale that determined if the Ravens would have a winning record, win the AFC North, and make the playoffs in 2025. The following day, Harbaugh met early Monday morning with general manager Eric DeCosta, executive vice president (and former general manager) Ozzie Newsome, and team president Sashi Brown. The meeting was intended to be a discussion about Harbaugh’s vision for the team and staff moving forward, and though an “unsettled” feeling hung in the room, the thought was still that momentum was moving in the right direction for Harbaugh.
Following the meeting, Harbaugh led a final team meeting with 2025’s roster and roamed around the locker room as players cleaned out their lockers and said goodbyes for the offseason. Many of the players in the building reportedly expected some level of change at the assistant coach or coordinator level, but expectations were that Harbaugh would be returning.
The next day, Bisciotti reportedly began to meet with multiple players throughout the day to discuss their thoughts on Harbaugh and the direction of the team, with one player even reportedly meeting at Bisciotti’s house for the discussion. Like has been seen from differing reports between NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter, even the players inside the building had different views of Harbaugh and his hold on the locker room, which perhaps speaks to his actual hold on the locker room.
There had been noticeable grumbling throughout the year about the coaching staff, most notably concerning Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Per a joint report from ESPN’s Jamison Hensley and Jeremy Fowler, players showed particular discontent with Monken’s playcalling. Some disagreement on the team’s run/pass balance, targets for certain pass catchers, and star running back Derrick Henry‘s usage was heard throughout the year. Any vocalization of these issues likely rang loud in Bisciotti’s ear as Harbaugh appeared willing to run it all back with the coordinators returning to their roles next year.
The biggest point of concern, in terms of lack of connection, was Harbaugh and Monken’s connection to star quarterback Lamar Jackson. The two sides respected and admired each other, as they would frequently support and defend each other to the media throughout the years, but they often appeared to be on different pages, with Harbaugh and Monken struggling to understand Jackson, who would reportedly internalize frustrations. With Bisciotti and players in the locker room looking to Jackson as one who holds the franchise’s future in his hands, the coaching duos inability to truly get on the same page with him proved detrimental.
Following his meetings with players Tuesday evening, Bisciotti called Harbaugh as the coach drove home for the day and informed him of his decision. A day was given to let emotions subside, then Harbaugh met with Bisciotti on Thursday to hear the owner’s explanation for his decision. An annual meeting after the season is the usual for Bisciotti and Harbaugh, but with the possibility of a full coaching search on the horizon, prompter action became a necessity. 
Harbaugh is reportedly at peace with the decision and has moved on to search for new opportunities to be a head coach elsewhere. Upon his dismissal, he immediately became the top option for several teams looking to fill a vacancy, and though many have reached out to express interest, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports that Harbaugh will take the weekend to narrow down the interviews he will take to three or four teams.
In looking for clues on which teams may get a slice of his time, Russini notes that Harbaugh is spending today and the next few days watching film specifically on rookie quarterbacks Jaxson Dart and Cam Ward, while staying in communication with decision-makers from both the Giants and Titans along with members from his own most-recent coaching staff. This is a critical part of the evaluation of head coaching candidates for those teams, as Russini adds that one of the first three questions each team is asking candidates is what their plan is for the young passers.
Ever since he became available the Giants have made it known that Harbaugh at the top of their wish list, and the research he’s putting into Dart suggests he may have mutual interest. The Titans don’t have any obvious connection to Harbaugh, but general manager Mike Borgonzi shares an ex-coworker in Andy Reid with Harbaugh. Borgonzi and Harbaugh’s shared relationships with Reid may lend to familiarity in culture and approach. And if Harbaugh had any issues deciphering Jackson’s internalized frustrations, Ward has had no trouble being extremely vocal about his own. We’ll see if each team makes Harbaugh’s final three or four interviews and who may join them.
Dolphins Contact John Harbaugh; Troy Aikman Assisting In HC Search
The Dolphins considered a trade for then-Ravens head coach John Harbaugh in 2019. No deal came together, though, and Harbaugh remained in Baltimore for the long haul. Seven years later, the Dolphins are in the market for a head coach again. With Harbaugh a free agent after the Ravens fired him this week, he’s back on Miami’s radar. The Dolphins contacted Harbaugh and informed him of their interest, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Dolphins became the seventh team to reach out to Harbaugh since he lost his job on Tuesday, Albert Breer of SI.com reports. That means every club without a head coach (excluding Baltimore, of course) has contacted Harbaugh. The Cardinals, Falcons, Browns, Raiders, Giants and Titans are also in the market.
The Giants, Dolphins, Titans and Falcons look like the most realistic fits for Harbaugh, Breer observes, but interest in the 63-year-old extends beyond clubs with head coach openings. Harbaugh has heard from “at least nine other teams,” Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.
Playoff participants such as Buffalo and Green Bay have come up as potential landing spots for Harbaugh. The Packers, however, seem likely to work out a contract extension with Matt LaFleur. That would rule out Harbaugh joining the Pack.
Harbaugh, who will begin interviewing next week, hasn’t booked anything with the Dolphins yet, Jackson reports. Considering the Harbaugh family has a “longtime relationship” with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him wind up as a front-runner for the position. However, a lack of clarity at quarterback could hurt the Dolphins’ cause.
Harbaugh enjoyed remarkable stability under center throughout his 18-year tenure in Baltimore, first with Joe Flacco and then Lamar Jackson. Thanks in large part to an incredible playoff run from Flacco, the Ravens capped off the 2012 season with a Super Bowl victory. The Ravens haven’t won a championship since then, but Jackson has been an elite QB who has twice earned MVP honors since his first full season in 2019.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins and new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan will have to figure out how to proceed with Tua Tagovailoa. While Tagovailoa is open to a fresh start, he’s owed a guaranteed $54MM in 2026. Releasing Tagovailoa would cost the Dolphins a record $99.2 in dead money, though designating him a post-June 1 cut would enable to spread that total over two seasons. Still, it would be a less-than-ideal situation for Harbaugh or anyone else who may replace the ousted Mike McDaniel as the Dolphins’ next sideline leader.
Miami’s head coach hiring will come with input from Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, who will stay on in an advisory role, Jackson relays. The Dolphins first brought the “Monday Night Football” broadcaster in to assist in a GM search that ended with Sullivan’s hiring. The team appreciated Aikman’s “diligence and effort” during the process, per Jackson. The former Cowboy will now have some say over the HC position, though Sullivan and Ross will lead the way.
In the event the Dolphins don’t hire Harbaugh, Jackson identifies Packers coordinators Jeff Hafley (defense) and Adam Stenavich (offense), former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, ex-Packers and Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy and Jaguars D-coordinator Anthony Campanile as names to watch. Sullivan, who spent over two decades in Green Bay, has worked with Hafley, Stenavich and McCarthy. Campanile was Miami’s linebackers coach from 2020-23.
Fallout From Mike McDaniel’s Firing; Latest On John Harbaugh
JANUARY 10: As expected, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal tells us that Cleveland has an interview scheduled with McDaniel “for some point next week.” He adds that Harbaugh is also an interview they are trying to schedule, but they’ll need to make the cut.
JANUARY 8: The Dolphins brought an end to the Mike McDaniel era with Thursday’s firing. The move came as a surprise to McDaniel, who previously informed his staff that he’d continue as the Dolphins’ head coach, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says.
McDaniel was involved in Miami’s search for a general manager, an indication he’d stay, but it didn’t bode well for him when team brass began asking candidates about working with a different head coach.
Although owner Stephen Ross was a McDaniel advocate throughout the coach’s four-year tenure, the tide began turning on Tuesday. McDaniel presented a plan to Ross then, but the latter was “leaning toward making a change” when their meeting ended, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.
Despite valuing McDaniel’s “intelligence and offensive mind,” Ross didn’t want to continue with the “status quo,” according to ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. That would have meant giving McDaniel another chance after two straight sub-.500 seasons in which the Dolphins combined for a 15-19 record.
McDaniel’s firing came not long after the Ravens moved on from John Harbaugh on Tuesday, though the Dolphins’ decision was unrelated, Jeff Darlington of ESPN reports. While Darlington adds that the Dolphins have not reached out to Harbaugh to gauge his interest in the position, that will change “very soon,” Jackson relays.
There’s a “longtime relationship” between Ross and the Harbaugh family, Jackson notes, and that may aid the team in a potential pursuit of the 63-year-old coach. Indeed, the Dolphins and Giants are among teams Harbaugh will seriously consider for his second head coaching job, per Jackson. Harbaugh is reportedly the Giants’ preferred candidate.
As for McDaniel’s future, his next stop may be in the AFC North, Harbaugh’s former division. The Browns are interested in McDaniel, as reports from Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com and Josina Anderson of The Exhibit indicate. The team has “long admired” McDaniels’ offensive mind, according to Cabot, and there’s familiarity between him and the organization. As McDaniel climbed up the coaching ranks, the Kyle Shanahan disciple spent 2014 in Cleveland as its wide receivers coach.
The Browns have not set up a meeting with McDaniel yet. However, it’s possible an interview will occur next week, according to Cabot. With a total of eight head coaching vacancies across the NFL, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see multiple teams consider McDaniel.
Giants Expected To Interview John Harbaugh; Jaxson Dart Appeals To Free Agent HC?
John Harbaugh-Giants noise is not quieting. Although eight HC jobs are now open, the Giants continue to find themselves in the thick of a race that has not technically started yet.
The recently fired head coach is not planning to schedule interviews until Monday, according to the New York Daily News’ Gary Myers, but the Giants are believed to have engaged in at least four conversations with the newly available leader.
[RELATED: Bills, Packers On Radar For Stealth Harbaugh Pursuits?]
They have kept in “close contact” with Harbaugh ahead of an expected interview, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets. This has lasted since minutes after his Ravens firing, when as many as nine teams contacted him. The Giants were then viewed as preparing an aggressive run at the proven winner.
A Harbaugh-Giants meeting is likely to occur midway through next week, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan, who passes along one reason Harbaugh is believed to be interested in the New York job. Jaxson Dart represents a key reason for the Super Bowl-winning HC’s interest, with Raanan noting the 2025 first-round pick is believed to be a “significant” driver for Harbaugh.
The Dolphins are expected to launch a pursuit of Harbaugh, though Myers notes they had yet to contact him as of late Thursday night, but Miami has a major quarterback question in the event the team will move on from Tua Tagovailoa at a historically expensive cost. Other HC-needy teams in this year’s cycle do not look to have a long-term QB on their roster (Browns, Cardinals, Raiders) or employ one with persistent health issues (Falcons). The jury certainly has not reached a verdict on Dart, but he showed promise as a rookie.
Harbaugh, 63, would have a fixer-upper on his hands in New York. The Giants have many holes along their offensive line, potentially needing three to four new starters alongside Andrew Thomas, and their defense ranked 26th in scoring and 28th in yardage despite Abdul Carter‘s arrival and the signings of Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland.
Harbaugh has only worked with GMs groomed by the Ravens — Ozzie Newsome, Eric DeCosta — but Joe Schoen does not (as of now, at least) appear to be a dealbreaker for the in-demand candidate. A coach of Harbaugh’s stature, however, would naturally have some leeway to cut into Schoen’s full-on roster control — power he wielded during the Brian Daboll era — if that is something he seeks during this hotly contested derby.
The Falcons have also come up as an interested team, and mutual interest may exist between the coach and the Browns. The Dolphins made a point to fire Mike McDaniel after Harbaugh became available. Stephen Ross has shown Harbaugh interest in the past — including via trade ahead in the late 2010s, before the team’s Brian Flores hire — but the owner is believed to have fired McDaniel independent of Harbaugh’s status. Still, Miami will likely be in the mix here soon. But the Giants have been the team most closely connected to him thus far.
Russell Wilson Suffered Hamstring Tear, Wants To Play In 2026
JANUARY 9: Doubling down on his intention of playing next season, Wilson recently revealed (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan) he changed agents. The former Super Bowl winner will now be represented by David Mulugheta as he prepares for an expected change of scenery.
JANUARY 5: Russell Wilson is nearing the end of a decorated career, albeit one that has trended steeply downward over the past few seasons. The 14-year veteran, however, has no intention of retiring after this season.
The demoted Giants quarterback confirmed (via Newsday’s Tom Rock) he will seek to play a 15th season. It would certainly appear the Giants will not be interested in giving him that opportunity. Jameis Winston is signed for one more season, being set to retain his role as Jaxson Dart‘s backup. Wilson also shared a bit of pertinent information regarding his Giants season.
Although the Giants benched Wilson after Week 3, he indicated he suffered a hamstring tear before his high-octane Week 2 performance in Dallas. Wilson said the injury occurred on the final play of the last practice that week.
“I know what I’m capable of. I think I showed that in Dallas, and I want to be able to do that again,” Wilson said. “I played that [Week 2] game, you know, I tore my hamstring on Friday in practice — the last play of practice. And I had a grade two [tear]. I couldn’t tell anybody. I had to go and play on it just because I knew the circumstance, I had to play on it, no matter what.”
Wilson said he went to the Dallas Mavericks’ facility for rehab purposes but indicated he did not inform the Giants of his injury. It is worth wondering how he meandered into the Mavericks’ facility without anyone from the Giants knowing, but Wilson went to X to say the Giants did not know about his injury before the Cowboys game. The Giants presumably will not be too happy to learn of Wilson’s secret injury. Wilson did not appear on the Giants’ injury report before Week 2 or Week 3.
Wilson went on to throw for a career-high 450 yards in that overtime loss. He finished with three touchdown passes and completed more than 73% of his throws. A much worse outing against the Chiefs in Week 3 began the Dart era, however, and Wilson was relegated to afterthought status after Winston leapfrogged him on the depth chart.
The Giants will likely be subject to an NFL investigation on this, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who adds a source informed him this belated confession will not make a team especially eager to add Wilson for 2026. Boos rained down when Wilson replaced an injured Dart in Week 6 at MetLife Stadium, but he is a year removed from guiding the Steelers to the playoffs. Wilson, however, was not deemed a Steelers priority to re-sign last year. He waited behind Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh’s queue before signing a one-year, $10.5MM Giants deal.
That became a bridge contract, as the Giants traded up for Dart in Round 1. Wilson, 37, is unlikely to command that in 2026. He has been benched in two of the past three seasons, though the Broncos’ decision late in the 2023 season appeared more contract-related, and some among the Steelers wanted to keep him on the bench for Justin Fields after the older QB finished rehabbing his calf injury. Wilson, who played hurt in 2022 as well, adding this hamstring issue to his medical history will only complicate his case at another gig.
Wilson did play better in 2023 than he did under Nathaniel Hackett in 2022, and he finished an abbreviated 2024 season — albeit one that included a season-closing five-game Steelers losing streak — with 16 touchdown passes and five interceptions. He is undoubtedly still talented enough to be a backup and took on a mentor role for Dart this season. Conflicting reports surfaced about the Bengals’ interest following Joe Burrow‘s injury. Will another team sign up for Wilson as a bridge option, or is he squarely on the QB2 level now?
Giants To Interview Darren Rizzi For HC; Team Prioritizing Experience In Search
It is certainly not a secret any longer the Giants are quite interested in John Harbaugh. They are not the only ones, and they may not have the best sales pitch to make. Though, the recently fired HC is believed to hold at least some interest in the position.
The Giants are still moving through their candidate list, however. The latest is Darren Rizzi, the current Broncos special teams coordinator. Big Blue requested a Rizzi HC meeting, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Rizzi has worked under Sean Payton on multiple occasions in Denver and New Orleans, but he has a lengthy history with Giants GM Joe Schoen. Rizzi is the third coach on the Broncos’ staff to receive an interview request, joining Vance Joseph and Davis Webb. Both are on the Giants’ radar.
Schoen and Rizzi were both in Miami from 2009-16. Rizzi served as the Dolphins’ assistant ST coach and then ST coordinator (2010-16) during that span, as Schoen was in the front office before leaving for Buffalo in 2017. Rizzi, 55, is also a New Jersey native. The interview is expected to take place Friday or Saturday, per Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero.
Rizzi received consideration for the Saints’ job, one a few candidates — Kliff Kingsbury, Joe Brady, Mike McCarthy — withdrew from. Some Rizzi momentum developed, but Kellen Moore ended up being the hire. Rizzi also interviewed for the Jets’ HC post last year. Payton had offered Rizzi the Broncos’ ST coordinator position as a fallback option.
Rizzi spent 2019-24 as the Saints’ ST coordinator, finishing last season as New Orleans’ interim HC post-Dennis Allen. Rizzi went 3-5 as the Saints’ interim boss, with most of that stint coming after Derek Carr was shut down.
This Giants search now includes seven former head coaches or interim leaders, with Rizzi and Mike Kafka checking the latter box. Experience matters during this Giants search, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. The team went with two former coordinators with its past two hires — Brian Daboll, Joe Judge — but whiffed on second-chance HC option Pat Shurmur in 2018.
The Giants were obviously successful when they last hired a retread, with Tom Coughlin guiding the team to two Super Bowl championships during his 12-year tenure. Still, it would be a major surprise if Rizzi landed the job. ST coordinators almost never rise to the HC level. And this is one of the few teams that tried that route, with Judge faceplanting as the Patriot Way brand sustained a series of hits during this time.
Assuming the Giants move on from Kafka, his interim DC — Charlie Bullen — is expected to draw coordinator interest elsewhere, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. The Giants’ defense improved under Bullen, though the team’s two wins did come against fairly unmotivated teams (Raiders, Cowboys) to close the season. Bullen, 41, coached with Rizzi in Miami before stops in Arizona. Daboll hired him to succeed Drew Wilkins as outside linebackers coach in 2024.
Giants To Interview Antonio Pierce
The Giants are interviewing their former linebacker and ex-Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce for their head coaching vacancy on Thursday and Friday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Pierce, 47, began his NFL playing career as a Commanders undrafted free agent. He emerged as a starter in his fourth season and parlayed that into a multi-year deal with the Giants. Pierce started 94 games over the next five years, including a Pro Bowl nod in 2006 and a Super Bowl victory in 2007. He retired from playing after the 2009 season.
Pierce then began his coaching career, first as the head coach at Long Beach Poly, one of the most prestigious high school football programs in the country. He was then hired by Arizona State to wear multiple hats as a coach and recruiter, but his activites in the latter role force his resignation before the 2022 season amid an NCAA investigation. Pierce was then hired by then-Raiders HC Josh McDaniels as the team’s new linebackers coach. Las Vegas tapped Pierce as their interim HC after McDaniels’ Halloween firing in 2023, and the team went 5-4 to close out the season. That helped Pierce earn the permanent job for the 2024 season, but a 4-13 record got him fired.
His connection with the Giants makes Pierce an intriguing (and perhaps sentimental) choice, similar to the Jets hiring ex-cornerback Aaron Glenn last offseason. But he only has one-and-a-half seasons as a head coach, and his full season in charge of the Raiders did not go well. He was deal with a bad roster, and you could argue Las Vegas was using him as a placeholder as they decided their long-term direction. Pierce will likely need to impress New York’s decision-makers in his interview(s) to show he can build the culture and scheme the team is looking for.
The Giants are also conducting a multi-day initial interview with former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. He will then meet more members of the team’s search committee on Friday.
John Harbaugh Didn’t Lose Locker Room?
In an appearance today on The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s Adam Schefter pushed back on one of the narratives that gained traction in the wake of John Harbaugh‘s dismissal in Baltimore. As McAfee suggested the insiders had seen this coming, Schefter voiced his dissent to the notion Harbaugh had lost the locker room.
“I don’t think that information right there could be any…less true,” Schefter exclaimed. “The players were coming to his office, crying, hugging him, sending him ‘goodbyes,’ calling him one by one. If they felt that way, why are Mark Andrews and Zay Flowers and Isaiah Likely and all these players coming in crying, hugging him, giving him these long, warm goodbyes. I’m not buying it.”
[RELATED: Assessing Lamar Jackson’s Role In Ravens’ Coaching Decision]
As the interview continued, McAfee appealed to one of his frequent guests, former NFL center A.Q. Shipley to back up what Schefter was claiming. Shipley, who played for Harbaugh and the Ravens back in 2013, the second season of his eight-year career, called Harbaugh his favorite coach, after which Schefter chimed in to say that “that would be consistent with the type of things” that he had heard from other players. Shipley pointed to instances in which Harbaugh had his players’ backs and spoke to the respect that those moments garnered within Shipley and his teammates.
As McAfee went on to question why the departure would occur, if that were the case, Schefter mused on the concept that, sometimes, it’s just time for a change. He pointed to the Broncos as a two-time example of this fact, first utilizing the example of Dan Reeves. Reeves coached Denver for the first 12 years of his coaching career, amassed a 110-73-1 record, made the playoffs six times, won the division five times, advanced to the AFC Championship four times, and advanced to three Super Bowls but lost all three. Then-owner Pat Bowlen opted to part ways with Reeves and promoted Wade Phillips. Though, two years later Bowlen circled back to Mike Shanahan, who would win back-to-back Super Bowls shortly after, the first championships in franchise history.
Later on, in Denver, John Fox stepped in as head coach, and in a short, four-year stint went 46-18, winning the AFC West every season but losing his only Super Bowl appearance in 2013. Once again, the Broncos decided to move on from success, and Gary Kubiak won them their third Super Bowl the next year. Harbaugh had so much success up front, winning nine playoff games in his first five years, but as the franchise concluded his 18th season seeing only four more playoff wins in the 13 years since their Super Bowl victory, it’s clear there was a similar feeling with owner Steve Bisciotti.
It’s not all gloom for Harbaugh, though, as Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports reports that nine suitors have already emerged for Harbaugh; there are only seven open jobs in the NFL right now, including Baltimore. That means three teams with head coaches in place already have kicked the tires to inquire about his possible interest. The Dolphins are one such team, per Vacchiano, though Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald pushes back on that notion, “citing people on both sides.” And, though the other teams remain unnamed, Vacchiano also mentions “a big push” that could come from a team “playing this weekend in the wild-card playoff round.”
Harbaugh has most notably been made the No. 1 target for the Giants. They’ve made it no small secret that they are interested in hiring him, and according to Vacchiano, “they are high on Harbaugh’s list,” too. A source from the team claimed, “They have no reason to believe that Harbaugh is not seeking excessive power in the organization or that he feels he wouldn’t be able to work with (general manager Joe Schoen).” And, though Harbaugh has yet to set a meeting with the team, NFL insider Gary Myers backs Vacchiano’s report up, saying himself that Harbaugh “has genuine interest” in the job in New York. In fact, Harbaugh hasn’t made meetings yet with any teams, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the 63-year-old free agent is not expected to take part in any interviews until next week.
In Baltimore, though, the Ravens have hit the ground running in search of only the fourth head coach in franchise history. Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak are both names that have come to the forefront early, but according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN, Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is a name to watch out for as the hiring process picks up. Kubiak is the only one of the three not to have already worked in Baltimore or coached on the defensive side of the ball. Weaver was assistant head coach/defensive line coach for the Ravens not long ago, while Minter worked with the team’s defensive backs from 2017-20.
What’s interesting is that all three candidates have zero head coaching experience. That’s obviously not something that scares off the Ravens, though, considering Harbaugh’s 18 years for the team were his first in a head coaching role. What’s more important, it seems, is the potential that Weaver or Minter could be able to reestablish the defensive identity that made Baltimore such a feared opponent in Harbaugh’s early years, or the idea that an offensive-minded candidate like Kubiak may be just what Lamar Jackson needs to deliver the franchise’s third Super Bowl, one that Jackson promised the day they took him as the last pick in the first round.