Media Reaction to Ravens Parting Ways With John Harbaugh
The Ravens' decision to part ways with Head Coach John Harbaugh sent shock waves throughout the NFL Tuesday.
His departure came two days after the Ravens were eliminated from playoff contention with a 26-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens (8-9), who entered the season as Super Bowl favorites, finished with a losing record for just the third time in Harbaugh's 18 seasons.
There had been speculation about Harbaugh's job security during the season, but what owner Steve Bisciotti termed "an incredibly difficult decision" still came as a bit of a surprise considering Harbaugh's long tenure and success, which includes a Super Bowl championship in the 2012 season and 12 playoff appearances.
Here's a look at what the media and current and former players said about the Ravens and Harbaugh parting ways:
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec: "The result was something neither side initially anticipated. That was clear by the Ravens not even having a statement ready for when the news broke Tuesday evening. That was clear by the fact that Harbaugh didn't even get the opportunity to inform his staff of his departure. According to team sources, team President Sashi Brown and General Manager Eric DeCosta handled that responsibility and met with Harbaugh's staff. And what else was clear is this wasn't a mutual decision, an agreement to amicably part ways. This was a firing, which seemed the most unlikely result of all."
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley: "The Ravens don't make knee-jerk decisions, and Bisciotti loves stability, which is evident by the fact they have had three head coaches in their 30-year history (Brian Billick and Ted Marchibroda are the others). There was a feeling by some within the organization that Harbaugh had run his course with Lamar Jackson and this core group of players. After guiding the Ravens to the AFC Championship Game three times in his first five seasons, he led Baltimore to the AFC title game only once in the past 13 seasons."
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio: "If the Ravens had [beaten the Steelers Sunday night], we wouldn't be having this conversation right now about John Harbaugh. We'd possibly be having it right now about [Steelers Head Coach] Mike Tomlin. That's why that last game was so meaningful. The futures of both coaches were hanging in the balance. … He's not being let go because he's a bad coach. It's just time. Eighteen years makes it time for a change for both sides. Not many coaches have been with the same team for that many years. You just get to a point where it's time for a fresh start for everyone."
The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer: "You could argue that John Harbaugh had the NFL's best team entering the playoffs in 2019, 2023 and 2024. You could also argue that they were only that good because of his work in maintaining the Ravens' culture, finding new schematic edges and empowering his players to succeed. What's inarguable is the lack of postseason success in the Lamar Jackson era: just three wins, and only one AFC championship game appearance. This year, the Ravens didn't get even into the dance. Even if they had, a Super Bowl run seemed unlikely."
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport: "As far as why John Harbaugh is out, among the reasons, it is not just that they didn't go far enough in the playoffs. My understanding after talking to several sources involved is that simply Harbaugh lost the locker room. … The opinions of players were valued here, it was listened to."
The Baltimore Banner’s Chris Korman: "John Harbaugh is one of the better coaches in NFL history. But so is Andy Reid. He got fired by the Eagles and it worked out for both sides. Sometimes change for change's sake is needed. It's frankly astonishing that Harbaugh was as effective as he was for so long. But messages get stale, approaches lose effectiveness and power structures become too entrenched to adapt and evolve anywhere near as quickly as they need to in an environment as competitive as the NFL. Finding the right replacement won't be easy — most coaching hires fail. But this is a much-needed chance to see if somebody else can get this core to the podium where they award the Lombardi Trophy, finally."
The Baltimore Banner’s Childs Walker: "It is impossible to sum up Harbaugh's tenure without noting this hard truth: He could not get his most recent great teams to play their best when it mattered most. His harshest critics will see those failures — the blown double-digit leads, the painfully nervous playoff performances against Tennessee and Kansas City, the crippling mistakes last January in Buffalo — as his legacy. But it's an ungenerous, and frankly wrongheaded, way of assessing a coach who thrived far longer than anyone is supposed to in one of America's most cutthroat professions. If not for Harbaugh's clarity in understanding when and how to rebuild his football operation around Lamar Jackson's unique gifts, we might be talking about the Ravens' last eight years in very different terms. … Choose to dismiss Harbaugh's role if you will, to say anyone could have won with a quarterback as sublime as Jackson. But then look around the NFL and recognize how many coaches have mucked up such franchise-defining transitions."
Baltimore Beatdown’s Frank Platko: "Despite rampant speculation and discussion surrounding his standing in Baltimore over the past few years, it almost felt as though Harbaugh's job security was ironclad. Instead, owner Steve Biscotti pulled the trigger to part ways with the captain of the team's ship for the past 18 years — a decision that comes not without legitimate risk, but one that is necessary. Harbaugh gave the Ravens nearly two decades of consistent winning football, highlighted by a Super Bowl victory and numerous other memorable wins. For this, fans should think fondly of his tenure overall. However, the Ravens have failed to get over the hump one too many times now in recent seasons and let some of the most talented rosters in franchise history flame out early in the playoffs. Their recurring faults and bad habits have continued to fester, not go away."
Ravens' Head Coaching Job Is One 'That Coaches Dream of'
Counting the Ravens, seven teams have head coaching vacancies: the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, and Tennessee Titans.
The consensus among pundits is that the Ravens' job is the most desirable:
NFL.com’s Judy Battista: "The Ravens immediately rocket to the top of the list as the most attractive available job. It's more than just having a two-time league MVP as the quarterback. It's that owner Steve Bisciotti is known to be extremely patient — 18 years with one head coach! – and a non-meddler. It will be interesting to see who emerges with this job – whoever it is must have a specific plan for how to maximize and protect the most unique player in the game (Jackson)."
Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr: "On Tuesday, the Ravens shattered the low, white noise hum of this carousel by firing John Harbaugh after 18 seasons in Baltimore. The Super Bowl–winning coach creates a vacancy at a perennial contender with a top-five quarterback in the NFL under center. The Ravens have a top GM in the NFL and a front office that regularly outpaces the league in finding an edge. An enviable organizational model. A lineage of future head coaches longer than the Bill Parcells tree. … This is a job that coaches dream of. This is a job that comes around once a decade."
CBS Sports’ Jared Dubin and Garrett Podell: "The Baltimore Ravens are the only team this coaching cycle that can offer prospective candidates the opportunity to coach a multi-time NFL MVP quarterback in Lamar Jackson. Plus, running back Derrick Henry showed no signs of slowing down in his age-31 season in 2025, rushing for 1,585 yards – the second-most in the entire NFL. There are also a couple All-Pro building blocks on defense with linebacker Roquan Smith and safety Kyle Hamilton. Baltimore should make a playoff return in 2026 no matter who their head coach is provided they reinforce Jackson's offensive line as well as their defensive line. The Ravens do have some cap space to play with at the moment with $12.4 million in effective cap space, according to OverTheCap.com. Moving off of defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike's contract down the road following his neck injury could free up significant cap space in the coming years."
USA Today’s Nate Davis: "As currently constructed, the Ravens remain one of the league's most formidable teams − yet probably one that needed a new voice and philosophy after Harbaugh held sway for nearly two decades. He maintained them as a near-perennial contender and won Super Bowl 47 but has been dogged in recent years by rampant tactical failures and repeated challenges holding onto fourth-quarter leads. The organization should have its pick from plenty of qualified candidates, but the main priority may be finding someone who will jibe with Jackson while getting the rest of the roster to play all the way up to its estimable potential."
Who Are the Top Candidates to Be Ravens' New Head Coach and Where Could Harbaugh Land?
As soon as news of Harbaugh's departure broke, speculation ran rampant about who the next Ravens' head coach could be and where Harbaugh, who is expected to be highly sought after, could end up.
Harbaugh Reportedly Is New York Giants' Leading Candidate
As soon as Harbaugh became a "free agent," reports surfaced that he was in high demand.
The New York Giants are reportedly moving quickly on Harbaugh.
