John Harbaugh is out in Baltimore. Let that sink in for a moment.
After 18 seasons, a Super Bowl, two Coach of the Year awards, and more wins than any other active coach besides Mike Tomlin, the Ravens decided they'd seen enough. Harbaugh and the organization "mutually agreed to part ways," which is corporate speak for: somebody blinked.
Black Monday 2026 didn't just claim the usual suspects. It claimed a legend.
The full body count
Eight head coaching positions are now open across the NFL:
- Baltimore Ravens: John Harbaugh (18 seasons)
- Miami Dolphins: Mike McDaniel (fired Thursday)
- Cleveland Browns: Kevin Stefanski (6 seasons, 2x Coach of the Year)
- Las Vegas Raiders: Pete Carroll (1 season, 3-14 record)
- Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Gannon (3 seasons, 15-36 record)
- Atlanta Falcons: Raheem Morris (2 seasons) and GM Terry Fontenot
- New York Giants: Brian Daboll (fired during season)
- Tennessee Titans: Brian Callahan (fired during season)
The Dolphins firing came Thursday afternoon, turning what looked like a survivors' list into another casualty. McDaniel was reportedly safe earlier in the week. Then owner Stephen Ross had a meeting. Then McDaniel wasn't safe anymore.
Why Harbaugh matters most
The Ravens job is now the most attractive opening in football, and it's not particularly close. Lamar Jackson is a two-time MVP in his prime. The roster is playoff-caliber. The organization is stable. Whoever lands this job inherits a better situation than any other available position.
But the message it sends is brutal: 18 seasons of excellence gets you... fired.
Harbaugh's teams made the playoffs 12 times. They won a Super Bowl. They developed one of the best quarterbacks in the league. And yet, after a wild-card loss to the Steelers in Week 18, Baltimore decided it was time for a change.
If Harbaugh isn't safe, nobody is.
The candidate carousel
Several names keep appearing on interview request lists:
- Klint Kubiak (Seahawks OC): Requested by Falcons, Cardinals, Ravens, Raiders
- Anthony Weaver (Dolphins DC): Requested by Falcons, Cardinals, Ravens
- Vance Joseph (Broncos DC): Expected to interview with Cardinals, Raiders, Ravens
- Robert Saleh (49ers DC): Requested by Cardinals, Falcons
- Kevin Stefanski: Already connected to Giants, Falcons, Raiders
Stefanski getting fired in Cleveland only to land a better job elsewhere would be the most Cleveland thing imaginable. And honestly? He might be the best coach available. Two Coach of the Year awards in six seasons isn't nothing, even if the Browns never quite figured out their quarterback situation.
The chaos extends beyond head coaches
Dallas fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus after the Cowboys surrendered more than 500 points for the first time in franchise history. Washington let go of defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. and parted ways with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury — though Kingsbury's exit was reportedly mutual, and he's expected to get head coaching interest.
The Lions fired offensive coordinator John Morton after one season. He'd lost playcalling duties midway through the year when Detroit's offense stalled, with Dan Campbell taking over. Detroit went from NFC Championship contenders to missing the playoffs entirely at 9-8.
What this tells us
The NFL coaching market has never been more ruthless. Pete Carroll lasted one year. Jonathan Gannon got three. Kevin Stefanski won Coach of the Year twice and still got fired. John Harbaugh has a Super Bowl ring and they showed him the door.
Patience is dead. Results are expected immediately. And the bar keeps rising.
For fans, this means constant turnover and perpetual hope that the next hire will fix everything. For coaches, it means every season is a referendum. One bad stretch, one playoff loss, one frustrated owner — and the cycle starts again.
Black Monday used to feel like an anomaly. Now it feels inevitable.