The Baltimore Ravens did the unthinkable. After an illustrious head coaching career in Charm City, the Ravens parted ways with John Harbaugh on Tuesday.
Sources: John Harbaugh is out as the Ravens head coach. pic.twitter.com/Rht9ssh01j
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2026
This move comes just two days after their season ended at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18. It was another classic heartbreaking loss added to a rough stretch in the Harbaugh era. It felt like every time Baltimore’s season has ended, it happened in the most painful way imaginable.
After 18 years as Ravens’ head coach, John Harbaugh is finally gone.
Ravens move on from John Harbaugh
Fans have been begging for Harbaugh’s firing for years now. The severely underwhelming 2025 campaign only intensified those chants, and it came to a head following an abysmal 8-9 record by season’s end. It was abundantly clear throughout the year that Harbaugh was no longer the guy to lead this team forward.
Of course, Harbaugh remains a Hall of Fame-caliber head coach, but his message was drying up over the past few years. Sure, he consistently brought the Ravens to the playoffs, but he constantly got outcoached by some of the best head coaches in the NFL. Not only that, but his teams faltered time and time again when the lights were at their brightest. Some of that blame has to go on the players, but with it is happening constantly, Harbaugh’s leadership was rightfully put into question.
If Baltimore wants to win a Super Bowl while quarterback Lamar Jackson is still in his prime, something had to give. The two-time MVP saved Harbaugh’s job on many occasions, and it was obvious that after this 2025 campaign, the partnership was not going to work out as many had hoped.
As the winningest head coach in Ravens’ history, and 14th-winningest head coach in NFL history, Harbaugh will obviously be a prime candidate for many head coaching vacancies across the league. His time as an NFL head coach is likely not finished, and he should continue to put the finishing touches on his Hall of Fame resume. It’ll just be somewhere else.
For the Ravens, they’ll immediately begin their search for his replacement. It wouldn’t be a shock if this time they land an offensive-minded coach to get the most out of Jackson and the team’s explosive offense.