The Baltimore Ravens have parted ways with head coach John Harbaugh, bringing an abrupt end to his 18-year tenure with the NFL franchise. The decision, reported by multiple sources on Tuesday, follows a deeply disappointing 2025 season where the team, tipped as Super Bowl favourites, stumbled to an 8-9 record and missed the playoffs.
An Era of Success Ends in Disappointment
Harbaugh's departure marks the conclusion of the most successful coaching period in Ravens history. Appointed in 2008, he was the second longest-tenured head coach in the entire NFL at the time of his dismissal. His legacy includes leading the team to the playoffs on 12 occasions, securing the AFC North division title six times, and, most notably, winning Super Bowl XLVII in the 2012 season against the San Francisco 49ers coached by his brother, Jim.
However, the recent seasons failed to live up to that early promise. Despite having the dynamic, two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson leading the offence for several years, playoff success became elusive. The Ravens reached the AFC Championship Game three times in Harbaugh's first five years but managed the feat only once in the subsequent thirteen seasons.
The Final, Costly Campaign
The 2025 season proved to be the final straw. With lofty expectations, the Ravens' campaign unravelled, culminating in a heartbreaking loss to their bitter rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, on the final Sunday. A missed field goal in that game sealed their fate, confirming their absence from the postseason. The irony of his final game being against Mike Tomlin's Steelers—Tomlin being the only coach with longer current tenure—was not lost on observers.
The decision comes shortly after Harbaugh had signed a three-year contract extension in the past offseason, which was set to run until the 2028 season. The 63-year-old leaves ranked 12th all-time in wins by an NFL head coach.
What Comes Next for Harbaugh and the Ravens?
Attention now turns to the future for both the franchise and the veteran coach. ESPN's Adam Schefter has reported that Harbaugh's next move could see him transition to a media role as a television analyst, a path that was also speculated for Mike Tomlin had the Steelers' season ended differently.
For the Baltimore Ravens, the search begins for a new leader capable of harnessing the extraordinary talent of Lamar Jackson and returning the team to its former glory. The dismissal of a figure as synonymous with the franchise as John Harbaugh signals a profound and decisive shift for the organisation as they look to rebuild from a season of profound underachievement.
