The Ravens‘ search for a new leader has officially entered a frustrating holding pattern. Up until now, 15 interviews have officially been conducted, but as they sort through four to five top candidates, things have become complicated. No one had their eyes glued to the TV for the divisional round matchups more than the Ravens, and to say the least, the results weren’t what they hoped. 

“The Ravens won’t be able to bring Rams PGC Nathan Scheelhaase, Rams DC Chris Shula, Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak, Broncos PGC Davis Webb or Broncos DC Vance Joseph into town for in-person interviews this well,” Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic posted on X. “If they’re finalists for the HC job, they’ll have to wait at least a wk.”

The Ravens had planned to narrow the 15-interview pool down to four to five finalists for owner Steve Bisciotti to meet in person. However, the LA Rams, Seahawks, and Broncos, whose coaching staff the Ravens have been courting, have all advanced to the Conference Championship Games. 

The delay isn’t just a matter of logistics; it’s a matter of strict league policy. NFL rules prohibit teams from conducting in-person interviews with coaches whose teams are still active in the postseason. That’s the tale of Chris Shula and Nathan Scheelhaase as the Rams qualified for the NFC Conference Championship, Klint Kubiak as the Seahawks qualified for the same, and Davis Webb and Vance Joseph as the Broncos prepare for the clash against the Patriots. 

Shula, Scheelhaase, Kubiak, Webb, and Joseph, preparing for the AFC or NFC Finals, must wait until January 26 at the earliest. This is the window where teams are either eliminated or on the bye week preceding the Super Bowl.

Even if the Ravens decide on a candidate like Shula today, they cannot officially sign him to a contract until his current team’s season is officially over. 

Baltimore is also strictly complying with the Rooney Rule. It mandates teams to conduct in-person interviews with at least two external minority candidates before making a head coaching hire. Even though Shula and others satisfy this requirement, those meetings cannot happen until the playoff restrictions lift. 

Since one road is not being taken, the Ravens are focusing on teams that lost the playoff race. They conducted recent sessions with the Bills’ offensive coordinator Joe Brady and the 49ers’ defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. 

The extra week of waiting could add a few wildcard additions to the search, but the internal signs suggest the front office is ready to move to the final stage. They had eyes on Kevin Stefanski, but he opted to take a head coaching job with the Falcons. So now, the pool favors Kubiak, Webb, and Shula. 

John Harbaugh takes over the Giants as HC

While Baltimore is waiting, their former leader has already found a new home. Shortly after his surprising departure from the Ravens after 18 years of glory, John Harbaugh has officially joined the New York Giants as their 21st head coach. 

His resume in Baltimore made him a prime name in the market. After all, it’s embellished with 180 regular-season wins, 12 playoff berths, and the Super Bowl XLVII title. He now takes his “conviction and vision” to a Giants franchise desperate for stability. 

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“John is a proven winner whose teams are disciplined, resilient, and prepared,” said Giants chairman Steve Tisch. “His passion for the game, his ability to connect with players, and his experience leading at the highest level made him an outstanding fit for us, and we’re excited to move forward together.”

Harbaugh is expected to be introduced in East Rutherford on Tuesday. He is already working to assemble a “Ravens-North” staff. Reports indicate he is targeting Todd Monken for offensive coordinator and George Winthrop for offensive line coach.

The most watched move in New York will be whether Harbaugh retains current O-line coach Carmen Bricillo, who significantly improved the Giants’ front last season. For now, the Giants have granted Harbaugh full authority to build his staff, and it would be interesting to see how many from his Baltimore infrastructure will follow him to the Big Apple.