Baltimore parted ways with head coach who brought the franchise a Super Bowl title after 18 seasons
John Harbaugh He stopped being the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens this Tuesday, ending the career of the most successful coach in the history of the franchise.
His departure occurred two days after the Ravens They lost 26-24 against their division rival, the Steelers, in Pittsburgh, being eliminated from the playoffs for the first time since 2021. John Harbaugh He had signed a three-year deal the previous offseason and was under contract through the 2028 season.
John Harbaugh63, ranks twelfth on the list of coaches with the most victories in NFL history with 193 and guided the Ravens to a Super Bowl title in 2012. Leading the Ravens For 18 seasons, he was the second-longest active coach in the league, trailing only Mike Tomlin, who is in his 19th season with the Steelers.
However, John Harbaugh He didn’t have as much success in the postseason in recent years as he did early in his career, which was a big disappointment considering he had two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson. In eight seasons with Jackson, John Harbaugh They only won three playoff games and never made it beyond the American Conference (AFC) Championship Game.
In a statement, the owner of BaltimoreSteve Bisciotti called the decision “incredibly difficult.”
“Throughout what I firmly believe is a Hall of Fame coaching career, John has given a Super Bowl championship to Baltimore and has served as a strong pillar of humility and leadership,” Bisciotti said. “He and his family have become deeply rooted in this community. For these profound contributions, on and off the field, we should all be eternally grateful.
“Our goal has always been and will 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 shown by John and its staff over many successful years.
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 6, 2026
Several teams with head coaching vacancies are now expected to pursue John Harbaughsources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The last campaign of John Harbaugh in Baltimore It turned out to be one of the most difficult. The Ravens (8-9), who were the betting favorites to win the Super Bowl before the season, finished with a losing record for the third time under coach John Harbaugh.
The discontent of the fans in Baltimore grew throughout a season in which the Ravens They went 3-6 at M&T Bank Stadium, the worst home record in franchise history. John Harbaugh He was booed off the field after a 44-10 loss against the Houston Texans on October 5, and there were a large number of empty seats in the last seven home games.
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 6, 2026
The criticisms of John Harbaugh increased after a 28-24 loss against the New England Patriots on December 21, when running back Derrick Henry did not receive a carry in the final 12 minutes of the game, despite Baltimore had a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter.
In his final question after Sunday’s loss in Pittsburgh, he was asked John Harbaugh If I wanted another opportunity to train the Ravens. “Yes, I love these guys,” he replied.
Information from Jamison Hensley was used in the writing of this note.
