And the Ravens said, “Nevermore.”
The Baltimore Ravens shook up the NFL coaching carousel on Tuesday when the team acknowledged that it had parted ways with their highly respected head coach, John Harbaugh.
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 6, 2026
“Following a comprehensive evaluation of the season and the overall direction of our organization, I decided to make a change at head coach,” team owner Steve Bisciotti announced. “Today I informed John that he has been relieved of his duties.”
Bisciotti called it “an incredibly difficult decision” and lauded Harbaugh “as a great man of integrity.”
Harbaugh appeared nothing but thankful for his lengthy time in Baltimore, as he, too, released a statement:
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 6, 2026
“Well, I was hoping for a different kind of message on my last day here, someday, but that day has come today,” Harbaugh wrote, including a smiling emoji. “It comes with disappointment certainly, but more with GRATITUDE & APPRECIATION.
“Gratitude to the owner and organization who was willing to bring in a head coach who made his mark with Special Teams success. A difficult thing to do… and Appreciation for all the moments, all these years, that are etched into eternity.
“I hope a legacy build on Faith, always Fighting, always Believing.”
Thank you, Coach Harbaugh, for 18 tremendous years. pic.twitter.com/BB7dPHihIK
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 6, 2026
Harbaugh’s end comes just days after his Ravens lost their regular season finale 26-24 to the Pittsburgh Steelers — a heated AFC North rival. Agonizingly, Harbaugh’s end came after Baltimore’s rookie kicker, Tyler Loop, missed a field goal as time expired.
THE RAVENS KICK IS NO GOOD AND THE STEELERS ARE PLAYOFF-BOUND. pic.twitter.com/cIVq2TPKwp
— NFL (@NFL) January 5, 2026
The winner of the game would’ve won the AFC North and made the playoffs, with the loser missing it.
ESPN — accurately — described Harbaugh as “the most successful coach in franchise history.”
(EPSN’s initial report appeared to come about an hour before the team’s official announcement.)
The sports outlet noted, “Harbaugh now becomes the hottest name in the coaching market if he decides to return to the sideline for the 2026 season.”
There’s no apparent rush for Harbaugh, as he just recently signed a three-year extension this past off-season that tied him to the team through 2028. Coaching contracts are largely guaranteed in the NFL, and the Ravens will likely be paying Harbaugh through the duration of his extension.
However, just because there may not be urgency on behalf of Harbaugh doesn’t mean there aren’t teams urgently calling him.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Harbaugh’s agent told the insider that in the first 45 minutes after Harbaugh was fired, the agent received calls from seven NFL teams expressing interest in hiring him.
Of note, the New York Giants are expected to become the favorite to land Harbaugh.
At 64, Harbaugh sits among the most accomplished coaches the NFL has ever seen, ranking 12th all time in career wins with 193 victories, per ESPN. His tenure is highlighted by leading the Ravens to a Super Bowl championship during the 2012 season, cementing his legacy as one of the league’s most consistent winners.
Harbaugh spent 18 seasons at the helm in Baltimore, a stretch of stability nearly unmatched in modern professional football. At the time, only Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin had been with a single franchise longer, entering his 19th season in Pittsburgh.
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