Owings Mills, MD – in 2008, center Baltimore Ravens‘ At the press conference introducing John Harbaugh as their head coach, a reporter mentioned the fact that owner Steve Bisciotti said he was looking for the next Pro Football Hall of Fame coach.
“By the way, did you know I said so?” Bisciotti said, laughing, patting Harbaugh on the back.
Without hesitation, Harbaugh casually replied: “Yeah, I read it somewhere.”
Now, after 18 seasons, the Ravens are looking for a new head coach after Harbaugh had a Hall of Fame career in Baltimore. Harbaugh was fired Tuesday after leading the Ravens to a Super Bowl title in 2012, six AFC North titles and 193 wins, including 13 wins in the postseason.
The firing of the 63-year-old Harbaugh came two days after Baltimore lost 26-24 pittsburgh steelersThat knocked the Ravens out of playoff contention for the first time since 2021. Baltimore (8–9) also finished with a losing record for the third time under Harbaugh, who is the franchise’s winningest coach.
“After a comprehensive assessment of the season and the overall direction of our organization, I have decided to make a change at head coach,” Bisciotti said in a statement. “This was an incredibly difficult decision.”
The Ravens are moving in a different direction at a time when Harbaugh has not had as much postseason success as he had earlier in his career. Two-time NFL Most Valuable Player during his eight seasons with lamar jackson At quarterback, Harbaugh won three playoff games and never advanced beyond the AFC Championship Game. According to ESPN Research, the Ravens became the first preseason Super Bowl favorite not to make the playoffs.
“Well, I was hoping for a different kind of message on my last day here, but that day has come today,” Harbaugh said in a statement. “It definitely comes with disappointment, but even more so with gratitude and appreciation.”
The Ravens have now begun their first head coaching search since 2008.
Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley, national NFL reporter Dan Graziano and NFL analyst Ben Solak answer all the important questions in the wake of Harbaugh’s firing.
Why did the Ravens make this move? What other moves might be on the horizon?
The Ravens don’t make decisions without thinking, and Bisciotti likes stability, which is evidenced by the fact that they have had three head coaches in their 30-year history (Brian Billick and Ted Marchibroda are the others). The belief of some within the organization was that Harbaugh had run his course with Jackson and this core group of players. After guiding the Ravens to the AFC Championship Game three times in his first five seasons, he has led Baltimore to the AFC title game only once in the last 13 seasons.
There was also growing discontent among Ravens fans. In a season in which Baltimore recorded its worst home record in team history at 3–6, there were more empty seats at M&T Bank Stadium than ever before. Harbaugh was also criticized as he came off the field after the Ravens surrendered 44 points, the most points given up at home during his tenure, in a blowout loss. houston texans On 5 October. A new coach could revitalize the team’s season-ticket holders as well as Jackson.
Although members of the coaching staff were not aware of his future at the time of Harbaugh’s dismissal, the Ravens were expected to have a complete turnaround, especially on offense. As a source close to Harbaugh said, “It’s time to reset.” — Hensley
How big of a shock is this for the locker room?
One player summed it up as, “Surprised but not shocked.” After a season-ending loss at Pittsburgh, Jackson was asked if he wanted Harbaugh to remain as coach. Jackson declined to talk about anything regarding the future, saying, “I’m shocked right now, and I’m still trying to process everything that’s going on.”
Inside the locker room in Pittsburgh, two other team leaders – running backs derrick henry and offensive tackle ronnie stanley – Also refused to give Harbaugh a massive vote of confidence. Both expressed their love for Harbaugh but said they do not make the decision.
The players continued to struggle under Harbaugh, even toward the end of an underachieving season, and a 41–24 win at Green Bay on December 27 was a sign that the team had not given up on the coach. But, while cleaning out their lockers on Monday, some players mentioned that this team did not perform well. , hensley
Was Harbaugh ready to move on? Was it a mutual decision?
The Ravens made it clear it was their decision when Bisciotti said in a statement that they “have decided to make a change at head coach.” But according to a source close to the coach, Harbaugh was okay with the decision.
“John is satisfied with the decision,” the source said. “He believes this is what is best for all parties.”
At the end of the season, whenever Harbaugh was asked about his job security his tone revealed that he was “at peace”. In late December, Harbaugh said, “I try to do a job, not try to keep a job.”
It was a decade ago when Harbaugh mentioned he wanted to be Baltimore’s Chuck Noll. Harbaugh came close to completing Noll’s 23 years in Pittsburgh (1969–91), but a source said Harbaugh now looks to his close friend Andy Reid for inspiration. After 14 strong seasons with philadelphia eaglesReed had more success in 13 seasons kansas city chiefsCan Harbaugh’s sophomore season match Reid’s? , hensley
What will this mean for Jackson and his future in Baltimore?
This is ultimately the biggest question for Jackson and the Ravens. A team source said it’s no coincidence that Harbaugh’s firing comes at a time when Baltimore needs to finalize a new contract with Jackson, whose salary cap figure has risen to $74.5 million this offseason. A new coach could make it easier to reach a new long-term deal with Jackson.
Jackson’s lack of participation in voluntary spring workouts and his new routine of sitting out one practice per week this season became a point of friction between Jackson and the coaching staff, a team source said. A new coaching staff may be able to reunite with Jackson.
Jackson won the NFL MVP award in his first season under a new offensive coordinator (2019 with Greg Roman and 2023 with Todd Monken). Can the new head coach take Jackson to new heights? , hensley
Who would the Ravens possibly want to replace Harbaugh?
This is a serious question. I also wonder who would want to be Harbaugh’s successor in Baltimore. But I have to believe that ownership has someone in mind otherwise it wouldn’t have done it. I would look for either an offensive minded coach who has mobile quarterback experience or someone who has head coaching experience. Kliff Kingsbury, who was let go on Tuesday Washington Commanders‘Offensive coordinator, checks both boxes. denver broncos Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and minnesota vikings Defensive coordinator Brian Flores — who could be an overall tone-setter just like Harbaugh — has held NFL head coaching jobs and could theoretically be a fit.
If the Ravens want a first-time head coach, as Harbaugh did when they hired him long ago, perhaps they would consider it. los angeles chargers Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. He has ties to former Ravens defensive coordinator and current Seahawks head coach Mike McDonald during their time together at Michigan. This is an imaginary and partial list. I hope many people will take interest in this work. , graziano
How attractive is this job to candidates?
The Ravens don’t just have a franchise quarterback — they have a two-time MVP who is entering his age-29 season through 2028. Purely on the strength of the quarterback position, this is one of the best jobs to open in recent history, perhaps edged only by the Chargers job that Harbaugh’s brother, Jim, took as coach just two seasons ago Justin HerbertBaltimore needs more talent at some positions, such as pass rusher and offensive line, but those problems are far easier to solve than solving the quarterback issue, Without a doubt, this is the best thing on the market, , Solak
If he wants one, yes. Six other teams with head coach positions were surveying a field of candidates that most of the league feels is not as promising as it has been in years past, and Harbaugh’s resume is significantly better than any others available. I expect all six teams to call him up, if they haven’t done so yet, and I wonder about some of the other places where the head coach is on shaky ground but hasn’t been let go. Could this news prompt them to change their mind and pursue Harbaugh? The earthquake occurred midway through the recruitment cycle and its fallout will take some time to resolve. of espn Adam Schefter reported Harbaugh’s agent, Brian Harlan, received calls from seven different teams within 45 minutes of Harbaugh being let go on Tuesday. But yes, assuming he wants to continue coaching, I hope Harbaugh gets the opportunity to do so, the same way his mentor Reid did when the Eagles fired him years ago and the Chiefs snatched him up immediately. , grazianoHarbaugh is going to get another head coaching job immediately, right?
