The AFC North is experiencing a dramatic shakeup this offseason, with three of the four coaches departing from their current organization. Most recently, Mike Tomlin announced that he is stepping down
from his job as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. At a time when the Cleveland Browns are exploring many different options for their next head coach, they may have interest in one of the other former AFC North head coaches.
John Harbaugh has firmly established himself as a proven winner, achieving significant playoff success throughout his time as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. His salary demands would likely pose less of an issue in Cleveland, as Jimmy Haslam is an owner who could be willing to accommodate them. Harbaugh brings the “CEO” type of leadership that many feel the Browns were missing under Kevin Stefanski. Given his success in this league, players would immediately buy into his message and come together as a team.
Tomlin has also had significant success in this league – his most notable achievement being that he has never had a losing season as the head coach of the Steelers. He is known to be a demanding and tough leader whose defensive mind would be a fun match for a very talented Cleveland defense. While Tomlin also brings the leadership and credibility that the Browns need, he is still under contract with Pittsburgh and would need to be traded to the Browns should they be interested. It is unlikely the Steelers would have any interest in giving up their long-time head coach to a division rival, making the chances of such a move quite slim.
Let me know what you think in the comments – Which former AFC North head coach would you prefer the Browns to hire: Harbaugh or Tomlin?
