The Cleveland Browns, unfortunately, may not have the most appealing head coaching vacancy in the league right now. The uncertainty at quarterback and a history of dysfunction aren’t necessarily what people are looking for.
That’s why they may not get a chance to land the top-tier candidates. And, according to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, they’re not even going to meet with one of them, at least not for now.
Apparently, the Browns aren’t among the three teams that will interview John Harbaugh for the head coaching position:
“Former Ravens coach John Harbaugh continues to gather information on potential destinations, and the expectation is he’ll interview with the Giants, Titans and Falcons by the end of the week. Other teams remain interested. But those three appear to have the inside track,” Pelissero posted on X.
Former Ravens coach John Harbaugh continues to gather information on potential destinations, and the expectation is he’ll interview with the Giants, Titans and Falcons by the end of the week.
Other teams remain interested. But those three appear to have the inside track. pic.twitter.com/qC4z1iwWYN
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 14, 2026
Harbaugh wasn’t expected to be available in his hiring cycle. The Baltimore Ravens sent shockwaves through the league when they shockingly decided to part ways with him after 18 years at the helm.
He immediately became the leading candidate for multiple teams. And while his demands for his new team seem irrationally steep to some, chances are that several teams would gladly comply with his requests and engage in a bidding war with one another.
Considering that, the Browns are probably better off this way. At the end of the day, we’re talking about a head coach with the most blown double-digit leads in the league since 2008 (26), and no one has come even close to him in that regard.
Of course, he’s a well-respected figure around the league and a former Super Bowl winner, but one can’t help but feel that he also underachieved for most of his career. He failed to make the most of arguably the most stacked team in the AFC, and he didn’t win many playoff games after transitioning from Joe Flacco to Lamar Jackson. The Browns reportedly have as many as 13 potential head coaching candidates, so they will have more than enough potential suitors to choose from.
This next hire will be crucial to finally get on the right path, and they would benefit from having someone younger with fresh ideas.
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