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jameson hensley
Baltimore Ravens John Harbaugh was fired on Tuesday, ending the tenure of the most successful coach in franchise history.
His departure came two days after the Ravens lost to rival steelers After missing a last-second field goal attempt 26–24 at Pittsburgh, which eliminated them from the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Harbaugh signed a three-year deal last offseason and was under contract through the 2028 season.
In a statement, Baltimore owner Steve Bisciotti called the decision “incredibly difficult.”
Bisciotti said, “I strongly believe that in his Hall of Fame coaching career, John has led Baltimore to Super Bowl championships and served as a steadfast pillar of humility and leadership.” “He and his family have deeply involved themselves in this community. For these profound contributions on and off the field, we should all be forever grateful.
“Our goal has always been and will always be to win championships. We strive to consistently perform at the highest level on the field and be a team and organization that our fans are proud of. I will always be grateful for the extraordinary hard work and dedication displayed by John and his staff during many successful years.”
He now becomes the hottest name on the coaching market if Harbaugh decides to return to the sidelines for the 2026 season.
His agent, Brian Harlan, told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that in the first 45 minutes after Harbaugh was fired on Tuesday, Harlan received calls from seven NFL teams expressing interest in his client. There are currently seven NFL head coach positions vacant, including Baltimore, meaning at least one of those teams still has a coach in place.
Sources told Schefter that Harbaugh was expected to emerge as the favorite for the vacant job. veteran,
Sources also told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that Harbaugh was in contact with members of his staff on Tuesday about a possible exit, with those conversations giving the impression that he had a hand in the decision to leave and that he was expected to return to coaching this cycle.
Harbaugh, 64, ranks 12th in NFL history for most wins by a head coach with 193 and led the Ravens to a Super Bowl title in 2012. Leading the Ravens for 18 seasons, he was the second-longest active tenured coach in the league behind Mike Tomlin, who is in his 19th season with the Steelers.
Harbaugh on Tuesday expressed “gratitude and appreciation” for his time in Baltimore.
He said as part of a statement, “My gratitude to the owner and organization for being willing to bring in a head coach who has made his mark with special teams success.” “A hard thing to do… and the appreciation for all those moments, all these years, that are imprinted in eternity.”
Harbaugh has not had as much postseason success in recent years as he had earlier in his career, which was a major disappointment as he was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player twice. lamar jackson At quarterback. In eight seasons with Jackson, Harbaugh won only three playoff games and never advanced beyond the AFC Championship Game.
Harbaugh’s final season in Baltimore proved to be one of his most challenging seasons. The Ravens (8-9), favorites to win the Super Bowl in the preseason, finished with a losing record for only the third time under Harbaugh.
Fan dissatisfaction in Baltimore grew throughout the season, with the Ravens going 3–6 at M&T Bank Stadium, the worst record at home in franchise history. Harbaugh was jeered as he walked off the field after the 44–10 loss. houston texans on October 5, and a large number of seats were empty for the final seven home games.
Harbaugh’s criticism increased after the 28-24 loss. new England Patriots On December 21, while running back derrick henry Despite Baltimore having a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter, they did not lead in the final 12 minutes of the game.
In the final question at the press conference after Sunday’s loss at Pittsburgh, Harbaugh was asked if he wanted another chance to coach the Ravens. “Yeah, I love these guys,” he said.
When Baltimore hired Harbaugh in 2008, he was considered an outside-the-box hire because his expertise was in special teams. Replacing Brian Billick, Harbaugh changed the culture and turned the Ravens into a perennial Super Bowl contender.
By making bold decisions and emphasizing a team-first mantra, he became the only coach in NFL history to win a playoff game in each of his first five seasons. He is also the only coach to guide a team to the AFC Championship Game three times in his first five years.
But playoff success has been a challenge recently, even with Jackson and a roster full of Pro Bowl players. Under Harbaugh’s leadership, the Ravens have advanced beyond the divisional round only once since winning the Super Bowl 13 seasons ago.
Harbaugh went on to become the longest-tenured coach in Baltimore sports history and is one of eight coaches in NFL history to record 300 games with a team. He finished with a 193–124 record (.609), including the playoffs, and guided the Ravens to six AFC North titles, two No. 1 seeds, and four trips to the AFC Championship Game. Baltimore has suffered only three losing seasons under Harbaugh – 2015, 2021 and 2025 – and each included his starting quarterback being held out of at least four games.
The Ravens have become one of the most stable franchises since relocating from Cleveland in 1996. Over the past 30 years, the Ravens have had three head coaches (Ted Marchibroda, Billick and Harbaugh), two general managers (OG Newsome and Eric DeCosta) and two owners (Art Modell and Bisciotti).
Bisciotti said the “challenging, but exciting” process of finding a new coach will now take place in Baltimore for the first time in a long time.
“We fully understand the expectations of our fans and everyone in the Ravens organization,” he said. “Finding another strong leader and partner who will reflect these high standards is paramount.”
