The Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 6 fired coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons, quickly throwing a curveball into the Tennessee Titans’ coaching search.

Harbaugh has been with the Ravens since 2008, taking them to the playoffs 12 times, winning the AFC North six times and a Super Bowl following the 2012 season. He has won 180 games as an NFL head coach, making him the 14th-winningest coach in NFL history. His 13 playoff wins are tied for the seventh most in NFL history, ranking behind only Bill Belichick, Andy Reid, Tom Landry, Don Shula, Joe Gibbs and Chuck Noll.

The Ravens’ vacancy rises to the top of the list for best jobs available as NFL teams race to hire their next head coach. Two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson is under contract for the long term, as are standout contributors safety Kyle Hamilton, linebacker Roquan Smith, defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike, left tackle Ronnie Stanley and receiver Zay Flowers.

The Ravens went 8-9 and missed the playoffs in 2025, but Jackson missed significant time with injuries. Still, among the teams that fired their coaches this season, Baltimore is the only one that made the playoffs in 2024, and one of just two teams that won eight games, the other being the Atlanta Falcons.

The good news for the Titans is that Harbaugh now joins the list of available candidates. He is the most accomplished coach available, save for possibly former Cowboys and Packers coach Mike McCarthy, and if he’s interested in jumping back into coaching in 2026, he will have his pick of the jobs available. That puts the Titans in the mix for a top coach and also lowers the floor of those available.

The Tennessean can report that the Titans have interviews scheduled this week with candidates including Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, former Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski and former Atlanta coach Raheem Morris.

Other candidates, including Jason Garrett and Steve Spagnuolo, have been reported as options the Titans intend to interview.

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at  nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin’ Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox.