The Cleveland Browns’ head coaching search took on a new level of intrigue recently after it was officially announced that John Harbaugh was fired by the Baltimore Ravens. A move that would have felt unthinkable just days ago has suddenly placed one of the most respected coaches in the league on the open market.
Almost immediately, many Browns fans began calling for the team to pursue Harbaugh and bring him to Cleveland at all costs.
In fact, Harbaugh has a connection to the area as he is from Ohio, and an old quote about his feelings towards the Browns has resurfaced from 2017.
“I was a Browns fan. I have said that many times. We grew up Browns fans. We grew up with Art Modell’s Browns. Leroy Kelly, Don Nelsen, that is who we grew up with,” Harbaugh said.
John Harbaugh on Wednesday, November 22, 2017 before a Week 12 game with the Houston Texans:
"I was a Browns fan. I have said that many times. We grew up Browns fans. We grew up with Art Modell's Browns. Leroy Kelly, Don Nelsen, that is who we grew up with."
— Nick Camino (@NickCaminoWKYC) January 6, 2026
With the Browns officially moving on from Kevin Stefanski and beginning a full-scale coaching search, Harbaugh has suddenly become one of the most fascinating hypothetical options.
The Browns have openly acknowledged the need for a new voice, stronger accountability, and a new culture. Harbaugh checks every one of those boxes. He commands a locker room. He sets standards.
As the coaching search continues, resurfaced quotes like this only fuel speculation. Whether it becomes more than that remains to be seen. But in a moment when the Browns are searching for identity and leadership, learning that one of the most respected coaches in the league once called himself a Browns fan is not insignificant.
Sometimes timing changes everything.
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