The Falcons are moving swiftly in the process of interviewing candidates for their open head-coaching job.
John Harbaugh, the most accomplished coach on the open market, interviewed with the Falcons on Monday, the team announced.
Harbaugh, 63, spent the past 18 seasons as the head coach of the Ravens (2008-25), leading the team to a Super Bowl title in 2012. He’s regarded as the top available candidate because of his success and consistency with the Ravens.
With eight openings around the NFL, the landscape is interesting, and the Falcons could be in line to get their coach.
“This is going to be an interesting one,” former NFL coach Tony Dungy told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday. “There’s a lot of candidates. A lot of different kind of candidates and some different types of openings. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.”
The Falcons are revamping their front office, after firing general manager Terry Fontenot and coach Raheem Morris on Jan. 4. They hired Matt Ryan as president of football, and his first big additions will be a new GM and coach.
Harbaugh likely is at the top of the list.
“He’s got it,” former NFL quarterback Phil Simms said recently of Harbaugh on the Cellini & Dimino show on 680 The Fan. “He’s got great control of the players, the system. He sends out a great message. He’s one of these guys who’s not always (optimistic). He knows how to put the thumb down on guys when he has too.
“It would shock me if he’s (not) the first person to fall out of these coaching ranks here into a new job, if he wants to keep coaching right now.”
The son of legendary college coach Jack Harbaugh, John began his NFL coaching career with the Eagles.
He was the special-teams coordinator with the Eagles from 1998-2006 and was the secondary coach in 2007.
Before entering the NFL, Harbaugh coached 14 seasons in the college ranks. He coached at Indiana, Cincinnati, Morehead State, Pittsburgh and Western Michigan.
The Falcons were hopeful that they would get to talk to Harbaugh to bring in the experience and playoff success he achieved in that 2012 triumph. Ironically, the Falcons lost in the NFC championship game that season, or they would have been facing the Ravens in the Super Bowl.
“John has been one of the most successful coaches in the last 20 years in our league,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Thursday. “Has won at every level. He would certainly be a candidate we would want to spend some time with. Whether or not he would have an interest in Atlanta, I don’t know.”
In addition to Harbaugh, the Falcons have completed interviews for the coach position with Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde and ex-Browns coach Kevin Stefanski.
The Falcons have also requested permission to interview Green Bay defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who is available after the Packers’ loss to the Bears on Saturday.
Hafley is the former head coach at Boston College (2020-23). He’s also coached with the Buccaneers, Browns and 49ers.
The Falcons have also sought permission to interview 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. He could be reunited with Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich if he lands the job.
Saleh was head coach of the Jets (2021-24) and Ulbrich was his defensive coordinator.
In addition to the Falcons, there are seven other openings: Browns, Cardinals, Dolphins, Giants, Raiders, Ravens and Titans.
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