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Ravens fire John Harbaugh, ending NFL's second-longest coaching tenure
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- Ravens fire John Harbaugh, ending NFL's second-longest coaching tenure
John Harbaugh's 18-year run with the Baltimore Ravens has come to an end.
The Ravens announced they fired Harbaugh on Tuesday, Jan. 6, concluding the reign of the winningest coach in franchise history and second-longest tenure among active NFL coaches.
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The decision comes in the aftermath of Sunday's season-ending loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers , who recaptured the lead in the final minute and then watched as Ravens rookie kicker Tyler Loop missed what would have been a game-winning 44-yard field goal as time expired. The loss not only sealed the AFC North title for the Steelers but also dropped Baltimore out of the playoffs with an 8-9 mark, just the third losing season of Harbaugh's entire career.
"This was an incredibly difficult decision, given the tremendous 18 years we have spent together and the profound respect I have for John as a coach, and, most importantly, as a great man of integrity," Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti wrote in a statement.
"Throughout what I firmly believe is a Hall of Fame coaching career, John has delivered a Super Bowl championship to Baltimore and served as a steadfast pillar of humility and leadership. He and his family have deeply embedded themselves in this community. For these profound contributions, on and off the field, we should all be forever grateful."
Speculation of a possible split between Harbaugh and the Ravens had swirled amid a trying season for Baltimore. Still, the separation, which comes a little more than nine months after the two sides agreed to a three-year contract extension, might be the most notable and consequential coaching shift of the NFL offseason.
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Harbaugh, meanwhile, could become the most in-demand candidate in this year's offseason cycle. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that he is expected to emerge as a favorite for the New York Giants ' vacancy.
Said Harbaugh in a statement: "Well, I was hoping for a different kind of message on my last day here, someday, but that day has come today. 😊 It comes with disappointment certainly, but more with GRATITUDE & APPRECIATION."
The Ravens had tried to rally back from a rash of injuries and a 1-5 start to hold onto their division crown. But Harbaugh came under significant scrutiny for several game management lapses and other miscues by a team that finished just 3-6 at home.
Harbaugh, 63, was first hired by the Ravens in 2008. Having long served as a special teams coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles under Andy Reid before a brief stint as a defensive backs coach, he was an outlier among coaching peers who tended to have a play-calling background on either offense or defense. The Ravens engineered an immediate turnaround under his guidance, winning at least 11 games in three of his first four seasons while making the playoffs each year.
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In 2012, he led the Ravens to their second Super Bowl title with a win over the San Francisco 49ers and his brother, Jim Harbaugh.
Baltimore would fail to make the playoffs in four of the next five years. In 2018, however, the Ravens drafted Lamar Jackson at No. 32 overall, with the scintillating dual-threat quarterback taking the reins from franchise legend Joe Flacco late in his rookie season.
Jackson went on to win two NFL MVPs and return the Ravens to playoff regulars, with Harbaugh winning NFL Coach of the Year in 2019. But Baltimore was unable to break through in a crowded field of AFC contenders and reach the Super Bowl stage again.
Harbaugh's career record of 180-113 leaves him with the 14th-most regular-season wins in NFL history.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: John Harbaugh fired by Baltimore Ravens, ending coach's lengthy tenure
