Lamar Jackson Contract Situation Hurting Ravens HC Search

The Baltimore Ravens shocked the world of football when they fired 18-year head coach John Harbaugh after failing to make the 2026 postseason. Now, they're in the market for a new HC, and the list of candidates includes everyone from former Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel to Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.

However, according to NBC broadcaster and analyst Mike Florio, the Ravens might have chosen the worst time possible to try to find a new head coach. Why? Because of star quarterback Lamar Jackson. In a clip from ProFootballTalk, Florio said Jackson's contract with the Ravens, which only has two seasons remaining, could turn potential coaching candidates away from the team.

"That creates a very difficult and delicate situation for the Ravens. This is the worst time for them to be looking for a new coaching staff...," he said. "If they're even entertaining the thought of trading him [Jackson], how in the world do you hire a coach without having a problem when that coach who wakes up one day and is reading PFT and says 'holy s--- they traded Lamar Jackson'?"

Could Lamar Jackson's Contract Prevent Ravens from Hiring Best HC Candidate?

Fellow analyst Michael Holley countered with the assertion that only two coaches on the carousel can confidently question team ownership on which players will be available: Harbaugh, who was recently hired by the New York Giants, and former Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin.

Seeing as Harbaugh won't be re-joining the Ravens and Holley sees Tomlin taking 2026 off, he says the Ravens shouldn't worry about candidates questioning who the team will place under center next season.

"These guys [Harbaugh and Tomlin], they are the candidates where they're interviewing you as much as you're interviewing them: they've got that much leverage. Everybody else ... not that [Ravens owner] Steve Bisciotti would say this, but if Kevin Stefanski says 'Hey tell me what the plan is at quarterback' then Bisciotti's like 'let me worry about that. I ask you the questions.'," he said.