The Baltimore Ravens are in unfamiliar territory this offseason - not because they’re searching for a new head coach, but because they’re doing it slower than just about anyone expected.
John Harbaugh’s firing came just two days after the Ravens’ crushing Week 18 loss, a move that signaled Baltimore was ready to turn the page. But now, more than two weeks later, the Ravens are only just entering their second round of interviews. Meanwhile, four of the NFL’s ten head coaching vacancies have already been filled, and two candidates who were reportedly on Baltimore’s radar - Robert Saleh and Kevin Stefanski - are off the board, heading to Tennessee and Atlanta, respectively.
So what’s the holdup?
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Ravens’ slow-and-steady approach may not be a misstep - it might be the plan all along. On a recent episode of his podcast, Schefter drew an interesting parallel between Baltimore’s draft strategy and their current coaching search.
“The way the Ravens are approaching this hiring cycle, to me, is very similar to the way that they draft,” Schefter said. “They watch all the teams in front of them make their moves, and then the Baltimore Ravens step in and make their selection with whatever greatness is left.”
It’s a philosophy that longtime Ravens fans will recognize. Baltimore has often been praised for letting the board come to them on draft night, rarely chasing prospects and instead trusting their evaluations and patience. That same mentality, Schefter suggests, could be driving their coaching search.
“They’re letting Atlanta hire. They’re letting Miami hire.
They’re letting Tennessee hire,” Schefter continued. “And these would not have been the hires that the Ravens would’ve made anyway… In the end, they’re gonna pick some guy that’s gonna come in there and probably be as much of a success as a coach as many of their top draft picks have been.”
It’s a compelling theory - and one that offers a bit of reassurance to Ravens fans wondering why their team is moving at a different pace than the rest of the league. Baltimore isn’t panicking.
They’re observing. They’re evaluating.
And if history is any indication, they’re waiting for the right fit, not the fastest one.
Of course, patience in the NFL is a double-edged sword. While some franchises thrive on calculated moves and long-term vision, others get left behind when the carousel starts spinning.
The Ravens have always leaned toward the former. But with the clock ticking and the new league year approaching, the pressure to get this decision right is only growing.
Still, there’s no need to sound the alarm. Baltimore has a proven front office, a strong organizational culture, and a roster that’s built to compete. Whoever they choose to lead this team will step into a situation with real potential - and real expectations.
The hope now is simple: that the wait leads to the right hire. That the Ravens, true to form, find their guy after letting the dust settle - and that he becomes the next name in a long line of smart, stable leadership in Baltimore.