John Harbaugh’s Future on the Brink: Is the NFL’s Most Unexpected Coach Hot Seat Happening Now?

You know, it’s funny how seasons can flip the script on us so fast. Just last week, it felt like the heat was squarely on Mike Tomlin’s back, with chants echoing through Pittsburgh calling for a change. But then—bam!—the Steelers pull a clutch win over Baltimore, sending that “Fire Tomlin” talk packing, at least for now. Yet, while Tomlin’s future looks steadier, another AFC North titan with a Hall of Fame badge—John Harbaugh—is suddenly under the microscope. His Ravens, once hyped as Super Bowl contenders, are stumbling hard in what’s shaping up to be one of the NFL’s most unexpected disappointments this year. And as the losses pile up, whispers grow louder: has Harbaugh’s reign run its course? In a division so muddled and a team packed with talent, the blame—fair or not—seems ready to land squarely on his shoulders. It’s a story of legacy, pressure, and the unforgiving nature of football. All eyes are now on Baltimore to see what the next chapter holds. LEARN MORE

This season, an AFC North coach with a championship past and Hall of Fame credentials is in the middle of a disappointing season, with the growing thought that a successful run might have simply run its course and a change might be best for everyone.

We just thought it was Mike Tomlin. It might be John Harbaugh.

Sunday’s win by the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Baltimore Ravens flipped a narrative. The Pittsburgh crowd had been chanting “Fire Tomlin” a week earlier, and there was weeklong speculation that maybe a long tenure by Tomlin could come to an end. But then the Steelers beat the Ravens 27-22 to take over first place in the AFC North and the speculation over Tomlin’s future can rest for at least a week.

The loss also highlighted that the Ravens might be the most disappointing team in the NFL this season.

[Get more Ravens news: Baltimore team feed]

Baltimore is 6-7 and it’s not all due to Lamar Jackson’s injury from earlier in the season. The Ravens are 5-5 with Jackson starting. Even if Jackson is obviously still less than 100%, the Ravens aren’t doing anything well lately. The defense has remained poor. The offense is simply average. The AFC North has been bad all season and the Ravens, who were on the short list of Super Bowl favorites when the season started, have squandered a chance to at least win the NFL’s worst division. At some point that has to reflect on Harbaugh.

Like Tomlin, Harbaugh’s recent playoff failures are becoming a part of his story. The last time the Ravens won multiple playoff games in a season was 2012. Since 2014, Harbaugh’s playoff record is 3-6. He hasn’t made a Super Bowl in that span despite having a two-time NFL MVP at quarterback. Harbaugh has had an unquestionably great run, but is it getting stale in his 18th season? That has been asked of Tomlin often, and it’s only fair to ask it of Harbaugh too.

If the Ravens miss the playoffs despite an easy path to a division title, will the franchise be ready to make a drastic move after being mostly successful for Harbaugh over nearly two decades? He has a 178-111 career record and a Super Bowl win. It will be hard to replace him. But all good things come to an end.

Panic meter: If the Ravens miss the playoffs, there will be very interesting discussions in Baltimore

Which NFL coaches are on the hot seat? (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports)

Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Gannon

The Cardinals lost their 10th game in 11 tries on Sunday, being blown out at home 45-17 by the Los Angeles Rams. That left Gannon with a 15-32 record over his three seasons coaching the Cardinals. Any glimmers of optimism built over Gannon’s first two seasons are gone now.

The arguments for Gannon are that the quarterback situation with Kyler Murray has been messy, the Cardinals have lost a ton of close games this season, and the organization generally has given most other coaches more than three years (going back to 1996, five of seven coaches before Gannon got more than three years, and Dennis Green got exactly three). But the results on the field this season haven’t justified another season.

Panic meter: Gannon shouldn’t feel too comfortable unless Arizona gets on a late hot streak

Miami Dolphins: Mike McDaniel

A rare story of a coach getting himself off the hot seat when it seemed inevitable he would be fired. When the Dolphins were 1-6, all hope seemed lost for McDaniel returning next season. General manager Chris Grier was fired during the season and it seemed like McDaniel would be next. Now the Dolphins are 6-7. A lot of the wins came against bad teams, but it still seems like progress, at least compared to the first half of the season. The Dolphins could still face-plant over the last month, but it seems like McDaniel has earned another season.

Panic meter: McDaniel isn’t out of the woods but the seat is a lot cooler

Las Vegas Raiders: Pete Carroll

The Carroll era started with a huge win at the Patriots in Week 1. Nothing has gone right since. Las Vegas is 1-11 since then and the only win came at home against the terrible Titans. Carroll, who is 74 years old, came in to increase the competitive level of the Raiders right away. It has gotten worse. Mark Davis might not want yet another fired coach on his payroll, but there has been nothing this season that indicates this will end up as a successful run for Carroll with the Raiders.

Panic meter: It’s hard to justify another season of this

Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Tomlin

Tomlin seems unlikely to be fired, only because if a change were to be made, the Steelers would probably handle it by mutually deciding to part ways instead of unceremoniously dumping a coach who has meant so much to the organization. The Steelers haven’t fired a head coach since 1968. It might not matter anyway. If the Steelers win the AFC North, would that be the time to end a 19-year head coaching run? Probably not, though some Pittsburgh fans have grown tired of Tomlin and want a change. It would just be rare for a change after a division title, and the Steelers are now significant favorites to win the AFC North.

Panic meter: A lot lower after Sunday’s win

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Atlanta Falcons: Raheem Morris

When the Falcons traded next season’s first-round pick so they could select Michael Pearce Jr. 26th overall, the message was clear. The Falcons expected to win now. If the season ended today, that pick going to the Rams would be ninth overall. This has been an utter letdown for the Falcons, who are 4-9 and often find odd ways to lose winnable games. That isn’t good for Morris. Neither was a 37-9 home loss to the Seahawks on Sunday.

Morris was 8-9 in his first season as Atlanta’s head coach, and his second season is going far worse. Usually coaches without a winning season are under some heat if they start to backslide. And this season has not provided any proof that Morris is the right fit for the job.

Panic meter: Atlanta is getting restless as the Falcons fade

Cleveland Browns: Kevin Stefanski

NFL Coach of the Year is a strange award at times, but Stefanski does have two of those awards. Is he really the Browns’ problem, and things will get better if he’s fired after another losing season? Probably not.

But most owners don’t look at it through that prism. They react to losing seasons, and Stefanski has had two double-digit loss seasons is a row. That’s not all his fault. No coach was going to turn the Browns’ version of Deshaun Watson into something usable, and this season’s trio of old Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders weren’t taking Cleveland to the playoffs either. Stefanski is in his sixth season and is 43-54. Will owner Jimmy Haslam exercise some patience, or make a move just because?

Panic meter: It’s always tough to predict what Haslam will do, but two double-digit loss seasons is a row is never good