Getty Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh talks with quarterback Lamar Jackson during a 2019 game.
The Baltimore Ravens are “nearing a contract extension” with head coach John Harbaugh, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, just a few days after parting ways with defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale.
Harbaugh’s extension comes after a disappointing 8-9 finish for the Ravens, just his second losing season since taking over the head coaching job in 2008. But Harbaugh earned praise for keeping an injury-ravaged roster in competition for a playoff spot, though he was criticized for a series of aggressive decisions during Baltimore’s six-game losing streak to close out the regular season.
“Team officials are in talks with Harbaugh’s agent, and an extension should get completed in a few weeks,” wrote Hensley on January 25, “Harbaugh, 59, is entering the final year of a four-year deal that he signed in January 2019.”
Harbaugh’s Tenure in Baltimore
With longtime New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton announcing his surprise retirement, Harbaugh is now the third-longest tenured coach in the NFL, behind only Bill Belichick in New England and Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh. Harbaugh has led the Ravens to the playoffs nine times in 14 seasons in Baltimore, including three visits to the AFC Championship and a Super Bowl win in 2013.
While Harbaugh’s early years in Baltimore were marked by playoff runs with Joe Flacco under center, he is also credited with revitalizing the Ravens in 2018 after missing the postseason for three straight seasons. After an injury to Flacco, Harbaugh embraced the dual-threat talents of then-rookie Lamar Jackson, who led Baltimore to six wins in their last eight games to win the AFC North for the first time since their 2012 Super Bowl season. He then won the Associated Press Coach of the Year Award in 2019 after the Ravens’ went 14-2 with an MVP performance from Jackson.
Harbaugh’s extension is part of a busy few weeks for past and present Ravens coaches. Along with Martindale’s departure from Baltimore, the Houston Texans fired former Ravens assistant head coach David Culley on January 13, per ESPN’s Sara Barshop, with ex-Ravens head coach Brian Billick joining the Arizona State Sun Devils as an offensive analyst.
Ravens Expected to Retain Greg Roman
Offensive coordinator Greg Roman is expected to retain his job under Harbaugh for the 2022 season as well, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, despite frequent outcry during the 2021 season over his offensive playcalling.
Childs Walker, Jonas Shaffer and C.J. Doon of The Baltimore Sun all agreed that Roman’s job is likely safe for now, though he’ll be expected to improve the team’s offensive performance next season.
“Though many fans have turned on Roman, he did not get a clean shot in 2021, given the injuries at running back and the troubles at tackle,” wrote Walker on January 24, “Don’t be surprised if Harbaugh gives him one more chance to reverse the downward trends of the past two seasons.”
Doon also emphasized the importance of Roman’s relationship with Jackson: “The pressure is certainly on Roman to get the most out of that group, but there’s no reason to make a change this offseason. Roman is the only offensive coordinator Jackson has ever known as a full-time starter in the NFL, and continuity is important for a young quarterback.”