The John Harbaugh era with the Baltimore Ravens has come to an end.
The Ravens have fired their longtime head coach after 18 seasons, the team announced. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report the news. According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta was informing the team when the news leaked.
The original reporting indicated that the two sides had “parted ways,” but a statement from owner Steve Bisciotti left no doubt that the Ravens fired Harbaugh.
“Following a comprehensive evaluation of the season and the overall direction of our organization, I decided to make a change at head coach,” Bisciotti said in a statement. “Today I informed John that he has been relieved of his duties.”
Harbaugh also made a statement after the announcement: “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.”
Harbaugh immediately becomes the No. 1 head-coaching candidate after a historic run with the Ravens. Baltimore went 180-113 over his 18 seasons with the team and won a Super Bowl title.
John Harbaugh Out After Incredible 18-Year Ravens Run
Pro Football Focus noted the prolific run of success the Ravens enjoyed under Harbaugh. During Harbaugh’s reign, the Ravens won the third-most games in the NFL, while posting the league’s second-best point differential. The Ravens defense was the best by EPA over that time and the offense ranked in the top 10.
However, the Ravens have struggled to return to glory. Since winning the Super Bowl in 2012, the Ravens have returned to the conference championship just once. They have missed the playoffs in two of the last five seasons, including this past season when they went 8-9. The Ravens had a chance to return to the playoffs with a win in Week 18, but a last-second missed field goal by Tyler Loop cost the Ravens the AFC North, which the Pittsburgh Steelers won.
“But playoff success has been a challenge lately, even with Jackson and a roster loaded with Pro Bowl players,” ESPN’s Jamison Henley wrote on Jan. 6. “Under Harbaugh, the Ravens have advanced past the divisional round only once since winning the Super Bowl 13 seasons ago.”
Harbaugh Has No Shortage of Options Around NFL
Despite that, Harbaugh immediately becomes the top coaching candidate on the market. Not including the Ravens, there are six head coach openings: Tennessee, New York Giants, Atlanta, Arizona, Cleveland and Las Vegas. As Schefter noted, all of those teams are expected to reassess their list of candidates now that Harbaugh is on the market.
The New York Giants, for example, have been named as a potential landing spot for Harbaugh and might already be making moves to pursue the coach.
That list could grow, too. Underachieving playoff teams could still make a move at head coach, and the Ravens’ decision to sack Harbaugh could convince teams — in the playoffs and out — who are on the fence to make a move and pursue the future Hall of Famer.
Ravens Fire John Harbaugh After 18 Seasons in Baltimore