Ryan Mink
The Ravens' search for a new head coach has begun after the team parted ways with John Harbaugh following 18 seasons.
Baltimore has only had three head coaches in its 30 seasons an incredible track record of success and continuity.
Now, Owner Steve Bisciotti, who built his business on staffing, and the Ravens' leadership group will take on the charge of finding their next head coach, currently one of seven teams looking to do so.
"We now begin the challenging, but exciting, process of identifying the next leader of our football team,"Bisciotti said in his statement Tuesday evening.
"We fully understand the expectations of our fans and everyone in the Ravens organization. Finding another strong leader and partner who will reflect these high standards is paramount."
Bisciotti made an outside-the-box hiring with Harbaugh in 2008, bringing in a special teams coordinator who had never been a head coach at any level. That worked out. Now it's anyone's guess who will be on the Ravens' radar this time around.
Ravens brass has given no indication of who will be interviewed, and there could be more candidates than the ones on this list. Strictly according to media reports, here are some of the top head coach candidates available to any team, in alphabetical order:
Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator
Flores, 44, has made the Vikings defense one of the biggest headaches in the league to play against. Despite not having a Pro Bowl player on the defense, the Vikings finished third in the league in yards allowed (282.6). Flores is a former head coach who went 24-25 in his three seasons in Miami (2019-2021). Before then, he cut his teeth as an assistant under Belichick in New England for a decade (2008-2018).
Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator
Joseph, 53, has been the Broncos' defensive coordinator for the past four seasons and led one of the league's most fearsome units. The Broncos rank second in yards allowed and third in points this season. They had the most sacks (68) in the league by a wide margin. Joseph also has head coaching experience, as he led the Denver Broncos for two seasons (2017-2018) with an 11-21 record.
Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator
Kubiak, 38, has led one of the NFL's most explosive offenses in the league this year, as Seattle ranks eighth in the league in yards and third in points per game. Kubiak helped quarterback Sam Darnold earn Pro Bowl honors this year, and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the league in receiving yards (1,793). Kubiak is the son of former Ravens Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak, who had a highly successful one-year stint in Baltimore in 2014. Kubiak has coached for five different teams over the past five years, with offensive coordinator stops in Minnesota (2021) and New Orleans (2024).
Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator
Minter, 42, has been the Los Angeles Chargers' defensive coordinator for the past two seasons under Jim Harbaugh. The Chargers have had one of the league's best defenses during his tenure, ranking 11th in yards last season and fifth this year. The son of longtime college football coach Rick Minter, Jesse started his NFL coaching career in Baltimore as a defensive assistant in 2017 and spent four years with the Ravens, working alongside Mike Macdonald and under Wink Martindale, helping to craft the Ravens' innovative scheme that has now swept through the NFL. After being the Ravens' defensive backs coach in 2021, Minter left to be a coordinator for the first time at Vanderbilt, then hopped to Michigan with Jim Harbaugh for two years, helping them to win a national championship in 2023, before following Harbaugh to Los Angeles.
Raheem Morris
Morris, 49, was fired by the Atlanta Falcons after two seasons as their head coach and with a 16-18 record. The Falcons won their final four games this season, including victories over the Buccaneers and Rams. It was Morris' second stint as a head coach, as he led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 17-31 record from 2009-2011. Between those stops, he was the Rams' defensive coordinator.
Robert Saleh, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator
Saleh, 46, has coached the 49ers defense for the past two seasons. While this year has been a struggle with a No. 20 ranking in yards and No. 13 in points, the 49ers have weathered widespread injuries. It's Saleh's second stint as the 49ers' defensive coordinator, as his ferocious defenses from 2017-2020 earned him a head coaching job with the New York Jets for three-plus years (2021-2024). He was fired after just five games in 2024 with a record of 20-36.
Chris Shula, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator
Shula, 39, may be the next branch on the Sean McVay coaching tree, as he's worked his way up the ranks in Los Angeles, starting in 2017. The Rams defense has drastically improved in Shula's two years calling the plays, ranking ninth in points allowed this season. Shula is the son of former Baltimore Colts receiver and NFL head coach (Bengals) Dave Shula. He's the grandson of former Baltimore Colts and (more notably) Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula.
Kevin Stefanski
Stefanski, 43, was fired by the Browns on Monday after six seasons in which they went 45-56. He's a two-time Associated Press Coach of the Year, winning both times the Browns went to the playoffs during his tenure with 11-win seasons in 2020 and 2023. Stefanski rose through the ranks as an offensive coach in Minnesota, capped by one year as the Vikings' offensive coordinator in 2019. The Browns hired him the following year, and they responded with their first playoff win (in Pittsburgh) since 1994, when Bill Belichick was the coach.
Anthony Weaver, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator
Weaver, 45, has been the Dolphins' defensive coordinator for the past two seasons. He has deep Ravens ties as a former player and coach. He played four seasons (2002-2005) on Baltimore's defensive line after the Ravens drafted him in the second round. Weaver returned to Baltimore as a coach in 2021, serving as a highly respected defensive line coach and Harbaugh's assistant head coach for his final two seasons. The Dolphins ranked No. 22 in the NFL in yards allowed, though they traded some of their top players at midseason. They ranked fourth in Weaver's first season.
