NFL Rumors: 2 Surprising Teams On John Harbaugh's Radar

January 09, 2026 , ,

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh looks on during 2025 game.

The John Harbaugh coaching carousel is already speeding up, and two playoff teams that weren’t supposed to be in the mix have come up: the Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers. 

According to ProFootballTalk, two could be teams to monitor if Wild Card weekend goes sideways, and Harbaugh’s decision to wait until next week to interview only adds fuel to the idea he’s keeping doors open.

John Harbaugh rumors could turn Buffalo into a real threat

Harbaugh coached the Baltimore Ravens for 18 seasons, won a Super Bowl, and owns a 172-105 regular-season record with a 11-10 playoff mark. He also won AP Coach of the Year for the 2019 season. 

If Buffalo flames out early again, the league buzz is that the Bills could at least think about a win-right-now swing, especially with Josh Allen’s window always looming in the background. 

Packers chatter is louder than it should be for a playoff team

Green Bay is the other surprise team getting side-eyed by insiders. 

The speculation isn’t that Matt LaFleur is on the verge of getting fired, but more that the Packers have big expectations and Harbaugh is sitting there like a shiny upgrade button if the wrong kind of loss happens. 

Reports have also connected the situation to contract timing and the organization not loving lame-duck setups, which puts extra attention on what happens next. 

Harbaugh has the track record to make contenders listen, and the Bills and Packers are exactly the type of  jobs that would make sense for a coach who isn’t looking to rebuild from scratch. 

Photo Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Go To: NBA Rumors | MLB Rumors | NHL Rumors