After an 18-season tenure with the Baltimore Ravens, John Harbaugh, who was once among the most celebrated coaches in the NFL, has been relieved of his duties. Owner Steve Bisciotti officially announced Harbaugh’s dismissal on Tuesday, signaling an end to an era that included both significant triumphs and recent struggles for the franchise.
Harbaugh’s Ravens saw two main phases of competitiveness. Taking over the coaching reins during the twilight of linebacker Ray Lewis’s career, Harbaugh guided the team to three AFC Championship games within his initial five seasons and captured a Super Bowl title in 2012. The team later found renewed strength with the addition of quarterback Lamar Jackson in 2018, propelling Baltimore back into contention. However, despite Jackson’s individual accolades, including two MVP awards, the team has yet to secure a conference championship in this more recent period, and inconsistency has marked their campaigns.
In 2025, expectations were high as the Ravens entered the season among the favorites to contend for the Super Bowl. Instead, they endured a disappointing 8-9 finish, missing the playoffs. Their season ended abruptly in a critical AFC North showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where a missed last-second field goal by Tyler Loop sealed Baltimore’s defeat 26-24, handing Pittsburgh the division crown.
Bisciotti expressed the difficulty of the decision, praising Harbaugh’s integrity and leadership throughout his Hall of Fame-worthy coaching career. “John has delivered a Super Bowl championship to Baltimore and was a pillar of humility and leadership,” Bisciotti stated, emphasizing the deep respect held for Harbaugh.
Harbaugh originally joined the Ravens following roles coaching special teams and defensive backs for the Philadelphia Eagles. During his Baltimore tenure, he amassed a 193-124 record, including postseason play. His tenure featured only six seasons without a playoff appearance, equal in number to the division titles he earned. Notably, Harbaugh experienced considerable postseason success early on, posting a 9-4 playoff record before suffering a downturn to a 4-7 record for the remainder of his time.
During his recent years, and particularly with Lamar Jackson as quarterback, Harbaugh led the Ravens to the AFC Championship game only once, falling short against the Kansas City Chiefs at home. Despite Jackson’s talents, the team has struggled to transition regular season success into deep playoff advancement.
Harbaugh acknowledged the challenging nature of his dismissal in a statement, expressing appreciation for the opportunity and experiences over nearly two decades. “This day comes with disappointment, but more with gratitude and appreciation,” he said, highlighting the meaningful moments etched into Ravens history during his tenure.
The 2025 campaign presented numerous difficulties from the outset. Baltimore frequently surrendered significant leads, a recurring problem in recent seasons. Over the last six years, the franchise has blown ten double-digit leads in the second half, a statistic unmatched in the league. Injuries also played a role, as Jackson suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him, contributing to a 1-5 start. Nevertheless, the team rallied to put itself back in playoff contention, ultimately reaching a critical winner-take-all game against Pittsburgh only to fall short once more.
The timing of Harbaugh’s departure relative to that final loss is not explicitly clarified. However, it may prompt ripple effects across the coaching market, as Harbaugh remains a highly regarded figure and could be a sought-after coaching candidate. Given the Ravens’ organizational stability and having a star quarterback in Jackson under contract, the Baltimore job is expected to attract significant interest in the near term.
Stability has characterized Harbaugh’s era in Baltimore, with notable staff members departing for head coaching roles elsewhere and others stepping smoothly into coordinator positions, such as Todd Monken’s appointment as offensive coordinator in 2023, which coincided with Jackson’s second MVP award. This continuity underscored the organization’s consistent competitiveness, even amid coaching changes.
The current shakeup follows a season of underperformance and hints at possible disconnects within team dynamics, particularly between Harbaugh and Jackson, though publicly both maintained positive relations. Harbaugh described his relationship with Jackson as “A-plus,” while Jackson expressed commitment to staying with Baltimore but remained focused on recent events rather than future coaching decisions during postgame remarks.
Jackson deferred to the present when asked about Harbaugh’s future following the loss that ended their season, indicating he was unable to address such questions amid immediate disappointment.