Here at Ebony Bird we were working on a Ravens debate piece, on whether John Harbaugh should return as the Baltimore Ravens head coach. Then, as the piece came together, the Ravens made an announcement. John Harbaugh is returning and they are working on a contract extension. We felt like the debate still needed to happen:
John Harbaugh will be the Ravens coach next year and it looks like his contract could get extended beyond that. Before the Ravens biggest game of the 2018 season, a battle with the Los Angeles Chargers, the news broke. The Ravens head coach for the last 11 seasons isn’t going anywhere.
All season long it was believed that this was a make or break year for Harbaugh. It was thought that if he didn’t make the playoffs, he would be axed. The 2018 Ravens have their playoff hopes in the balance. They have to beat a very tough Chargers team, and follow it with a tough win against the Cleveland Browns. The Ravens didn’t wait for the glory of a postseason berth or the disappointment of a fourth straight year without Baltimore football in January. The Ravens made a decision, now was it the right one?
Statement from the Baltimore Ravens: pic.twitter.com/NSog0QWx1P
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 21, 2018
Opinions seem to be split. One half believes that the job Harbaugh has done with Lamar Jackson and the position he has the team in for the playoffs, that he has done enough to earn at least one more season under the helm. On the flip side, it is felt that time has run its course and changes need to be made. Yes, the team is 4-1 under Jackson, but are still nothing more than average, maybe a hair above when at full strength. The topic is debated here between two of Ebony’s Bird contributors, Conor Brooks and Isaiah Stumpf.