The Atlanta Falcons were the first team to conduct an interview with John Harbaugh, but there's still a lot of time before he makes his final decision. Despite virtually meeting with Matt Ryan yesterday, he still has yet to hold a single in-person interview, and we may not have an update on which interviews he plans to take for a bit.
The Super Bowl-winning head coach is well aware he's the belle of the ball this offseason, so he can afford to make teams wait. Not even accepting interviews is a different story, as he conducted early phone calls with the Giants, Titans, Browns, Raiders, and Cardinals to determine who to meet with.
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
The Falcons being the first team to officially meet with him is a good sign, but it's still incredibly early. And that led ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter to preface that by reporting that he isn't even expected to take any additional interviews until next week at the earliest, so expect a very drawn-out process.
The John Harbaugh sweepstakes are more of a race than Falcons fans realize
Schefter mentioned five other teams in his report, but the only one who feels like a real threat to the Dirty Birds is the Giants. Reportedly, Harbaugh is a big fan of Jaxson Dart, but the Falcons being his first interview puts them in the driver's seat until we learn more information about these phone calls.
Their roster is the best and their division is the worst, so it's clear that he's interested in the job and the Falcons will likely receive a second interview at the facility. However, Schefter's report confirms another report from Mary Kay Cabot, which confirmed that the 63-year-old isn't down to two teams.
It's my understanding that ex-#Ravens coach John Harbaugh hasn't narrowed his choices to the #Giants and #Falcons. Not sure if he'll interview with the #Browns, who were 1 of the original 7 teams to call in the 1st 45 mins after he was fired.
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) January 12, 2026
The Titans have Cam Ward, the Browns have an exciting young core he's familiar with from his time in the AFC North, the Giants have Dart, and the Raiders will have Fernando Mendoza in a few months. The only team on his list who doesn't belong here is the Cardinals, who are nearing a reset at QB.
Even Michael Penix Jr. has shown glimpses of immense potential despite his injury woes, and a new coaching staff can help him live up to expectations. Atlanta has the weapons to help him thrive and their defense improved considerably in 2025, so it's no secret where the best situation is.
For the teams who don't land Harbaugh, Kevin Stefanski is expected to be a popular backup plan, but the sweepstakes are in full force—and this could be a big win for Matt Ryan and Arthur Blank if they pull it off after having virtually no shot this time 24 hours ago.