That didn’t take long.
Within 24 hours of the end of the NFL regular season, teams with head coaching vacancies were asking permission to speak with top Ravens assistant coaches about their jobs. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken, defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and assistant head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver all had drawn interest from other teams, according to published reports.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was not available to comment, as he was headed to Houston to watch the College Football Playoff national championship game between the University of Michigan, coached by his brother, Jim, and the University of Washington.
In the past, Harbaugh has welcomed such overtures of his assistants, saying those coaches have earned those looks and potential opportunities.
The Ravens finished the regular season 13-4 and own the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC. They have a bye for the opening round of the playoffs and will host a divisional-round game for their first postseason game.
Monken, in his first season with the Ravens, has overseen a revamped offense led by quarterback Lamar Jackson, the favorite to win his second NFL Most Valuable Player Award. The Ravens’ defense, meanwhile, has made history under Macdonald. The Ravens this year became the first team in NFL history to lead the league in sacks (60), takeaways (T1st, 31) and scoring defense (16.5). And Weaver, a former defensive coordinator with Houston, has overseen the breakout year of Justin Madubuike, who leads all NFL interior linemen with 13 sacks. Madubuike tied an NFL record with at least a half-sack in 13 straight games.
The Carolina Panthers, who fired coach Frank Reich in November and finished a league-worst 2-15, on Jan. 8 released an initial list of nine candidates from other organizations with whom they have requested permission to speak. Both Monken and Macdonald were on that list.
The Panthers are also searching for a general manager, and their initial list of requested candidates for interviews includes Ravens vice president of football administration Nick Matteo.
In addition, ESPN reported that the Washington Commanders, who fired head coach Ron Rivera a day after their 4-13 season ended, have requested permission to speak with both Macdonald and Weaver. And Monken is reportedly a candidate with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Those Ravens assistants might find themselves competing for a job against Jim Harbaugh, who is believed to be considering a return to the NFL after a tumultuous year at Michigan that included an undefeated record and a national title but also a three-game suspension related to a sign-stealing scandal.
According to a new NFL rule enacted this fall, no in-person interviews with coaches under contract to another team can take place until after the divisional round of the playoffs.
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