John Harbaugh will take his time before interviewing for his next job.
Harbaugh is not expected to conduct any head-coach interviews until next week, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The Ravens fired Harbaugh on Tuesday after 18 years as their head coach. That instantly made him an attractive candidate for other head coaching vacancies, and perhaps for some teams that don’t yet have vacancies but would fire their current coach if Harbaugh wanted to replace him.
Because Harbaugh is viewed as the top candidate in this hiring cycle, he can take his time and be selective about interviews. Other candidates who are eager to get any head-coaching job will jump at the first chance to interview, and assistant coaches on playoff teams have to schedule their interviews in accordance with league rules that dictate when they can interview and when they’re with their current teams. But Harbaugh has the freedom to tell teams that if they want to interview him, they’ll have to do it on his schedule.
If the betting odds are to be believed, Harbaugh is likely to become the next head coach of the Giants, where he’s the -250 favorite to land the job. But it doesn’t appear that he’s in a rush to interview for the Giants or any other job.
As quarterback Russell Wilson prepares for his third trip to free agency in three years, he has made the first agent change of his 14-year career.
Wilson is no longer represented by Mark Rodgers. Wilson has hired David Mulugheta of Athletes First.
We first caught wind of the shift on Monday. At that time, NFLPA records showed that Wilson had no agent. Mulugheta did not respond to a text message seeking confirmation that he would be representing Wilson. Now, as noted by Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com, NFLPA records reveal that Wilson is represented by Mulugheta.
By rule, a five-day waiting period applies following the termination of an agent by a player.
The reason for the change is obvious. In the past, Wilson didn’t need a well-connected agent who would affirmatively sell Wilson’s services. Wilson’s interests were better served by Rodgers, a baseball agent who (like Tom Hagen) had only one NFL client. Rodgers could drive a hard bargain at all times for Wilson, without concern as to whether it would impact his broader relationship with a given team as to any other clients.
Now, Wilson will need someone who can beat the bushes and/or call in favors. Even then, it’s going to be a challenge to find anything more than a one-year minimum deal for Wilson. Especially after his strange claim from Monday that he had suffered a previously-undisclosed Grade 2 hamstring tear prior to Week 2.
If Wilson is truly willing to embrace a QB2/QB3 role, he has a chance. It’s unlikely that anyone will make him the Week 1 starter in 2026, unless he’s a short-term placeholder. Like he was for the Giants in 2025.
Brothers Jim and John Harbaugh are famously close, with their relationship put on display when their teams have competed against one another — most notably in Super Bowl XLVII.
So it’s no surprise that in his Wednesday press conference, as the Chargers get ready to play the Patriots, Jim Harbaugh was asked about his brother getting fired from the Ravens this week.
“John Harbaugh is the best coach I know, the best coach I’ve ever seen,” Jim Harbaugh said, via Daniel Popper of TheAthletic.com. “Whatever team he goes to is going to be formidable, and I just hope it’s in the NFC.”
Jim Harbaugh also isn’t holding out hope he’ll be able to add his brother to the Chargers’ staff in 2026.
“He’ll be a head coach next year,” Jim Harbaugh said, via Omar Ruiz of NFL Media.
It stands to reason, however, that Jim Harbaugh could get a little advice from his brother on Los Angeles’ wild card weekend opponent. While the Chargers didn’t take on the Patriots during the regular season this year, the Ravens lost to the Patriots in Week 16.
The Giants had a miserable season, but they were able to finish on a high note by winning their final two games of the year.
Linebacker Bobby Okereke had a hand in their Week 18 victory over the Cowboys. Okereke had six tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery in the 34-17 victory.
The NFL announced on Wednesday that Okereke has been named the NFC defensive player of the week.
Okereke finished the season with 143 tackles, two interceptions, a sack and a fumble recovery. He remains under contract for the 2026 season and it is the final year of the four-year contract he signed with the team as a free agent.
The Giants have completed their interview with interim head coach Mike Kafka for the permanent head coaching job, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
Kafka was 2-5 after Brian Daboll’s firing this season.
The Giants hired him as offensive coordinator in 2022, and he added the title of assistant head coach in 2024.
He began his coaching career with the Chiefs in 2017 after his playing career ended in 2015. Kafka was quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator in Kansas City in 2020-21.
The Giants also will interview former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and former Cowboys and Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. They are also expected to have interest in former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
