Jan 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh reacts during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Jan 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh reacts during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Las Vegas Had Preliminary Phone Calls With John Harbaugh

Originally posted on Raiders Newswire | By Corey Hansford | Last updated Jan 13, 2026 4:15 PM ET

Once again, the Las Vegas Raiders are in search of a new head coach after parting ways with Pete Carroll after just one season. The team has been unable to find a long-term answer since firing Jon Gruden back in 2021, with no coach lasting two full seasons in that time.

This offseason, the market is expected to be extremely competitive, with nine head coach openings around the NFL and several prominent names available. One of the most successful and notable is former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, who won a Super Bowl and had just two losing seasons in 18 years.

As is to be expected, Harbaugh is garnering a lot of interest around the league, and the Raiders are one of many teams that have had preliminary phone discussions with the coach about their opening, via ESPN’s Adam Schefter:

While the Falcons announced an official interview with former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, he already has been conducting preliminary and extensive phone calls with the Giants, Titans, Browns, Raiders and Cardinals, per sources. He is trying to determine who to meet with… pic.twitter.com/tvAUp3WUBJ

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2026

For a team that sorely needs to establish a culture and identity like the Raiders, going after Harbaugh makes a ton of sense. He has been a winner for a very long time and, at the very least, should be able to establish a direction for this franchise that has been missing for a long time now. He has a career win percentage of .614 and can conceivably bring this team back to respectability.

The question is whether the Raiders’ job is attractive enough to entice Harbaugh with so many other potential options on the table. He already has an interview lined up with the Atlanta Falcons, and he may feel that they, or another team, are further along in their development and closer to competing for a Super Bowl.

The Raiders definitely have a couple of building blocks in Maxx Crosby and Brock Bowers, along with a promising running back in Ashton Jeanty and the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. But for someone like Harbaugh, who will be one of the most sought-after names in this coaching cycle, that may not be enough.

Raiders have multiple other head coach interviews lined up

The search for the next Raiders head coach is already underway, with the team setting up interviews with Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, as well as Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Broncos QB coach Davis Webb.

This article first appeared on Raiders Newswire and was syndicated with permission.

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