Ravens Part Ways With John Harbaugh After 18 Seasons as Head Coach

By Blessing Nweke

The Baltimore Ravens have fired head coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons with the franchise, the team announced Tuesday, bringing an end to one of the longest and most successful coaching tenures in NFL history.

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti called the decision “incredibly difficult,” praising Harbaugh’s impact on and off the field. In a statement, Bisciotti said Harbaugh delivered a Super Bowl championship, embodied humility and leadership, and became deeply embedded in the Baltimore community. “For these profound contributions, on and off the field, we should all be forever grateful,” he said.

Baltimore finished the 2025 regular season 8-9, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021. The Ravens’ season ended with a 26-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18, when rookie kicker Tyler Loop missed a potential game-winning field goal as time expired, costing Baltimore the AFC North title and a postseason berth.

Harbaugh was hired in January 2008 after a decade with the Philadelphia Eagles and entered this season as the NFL’s second-longest-tenured head coach. He found immediate success, leading the Ravens to an 11-5 record and an AFC Championship Game appearance in his first year. Baltimore made the playoffs in each of his first five seasons and won the Super Bowl following the 2012 season, when Harbaugh coached against his brother, Jim.

After a mid-2010s downturn, the franchise was revitalized by the drafting of quarterback Lamar Jackson in 2018. From then through last season, the Ravens reached the playoffs six times in seven years but advanced to the AFC Championship Game only once. Harbaugh went 3-6 in his last nine playoff games and faced criticism for repeated late-game collapses against top opponents.

Questions also arose about his relationship with Jackson, though Harbaugh denied reports of tension. Following the loss to Pittsburgh, Jackson said he was too stunned to consider Harbaugh’s future.

Bisciotti said the search for a new head coach will begin immediately, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to meeting high expectations and delivering success to the city and its fans.