The Baltimore Ravens made the controversial decision to fire the second-longest tenured coach in the league, John Harbaugh, two days after their season ended. While the media and even members of the Ravens organization were left stunned, it felt like it was time to move on.
Over the past few years, Baltimore has been taking a step backward. After making the AFC Championship in 2023, they lost in the Divisional Round the following year, and in 2025, they missed the playoffs with a record of 8-9. 2025 was clearly a dumpster fire of a season, and owner Steve Bisciotti ultimately made the decision to go in a different direction.
According to multiple accounts, Bisciotti’s call came out of nowhere. It reportedly stunned General Manager Eric DeCosta, and most players were caught off guard. Regardless, Bisciotti had made up his mind, and the team now prepares to find a new voice to lead the team for the foreseeable future.
During Tuesday’s press conference, Bisciotti offered insight into what went into his decision to fire Harbaugh. When asked if Harbaugh would still be the team’s head coach if Baltimore had won in Week 18, he offered a stone-cold response. Bisciotti said:
“For a week.”
Steve Bisciotti’s blunt John Harbaugh remark makes his decision clear
Just as the Pittsburgh Steelers fired their head coach, Mike Tomlin, after an embarrassing loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round on Sunday, it sounds like the Ravens would’ve gone in a similar direction with Harbaugh, had they made the playoffs.
Simply put, if they came up short again, Harbaugh’s time was likely up.
Regardless of whether Baltimore made the playoffs, it would’ve been considered a fluke. Sure, everyone’s record resets and is on nearly the same playing field come playoff time, but this team wasn’t close to being in position to win the Super Bowl in 2025. Injuries aside, Harbaugh’s leadership didn’t seem effective, as they blew far too many leads and were uncompetitive against some of the best teams in the NFL.
Bisciotti's decision likely built up over the course of a season’s worth of frustration. One missed kick and defensive meltdown in Week 18 didn’t influence such a franchise-altering choice. It obviously played a part in it and left a sour taste in Bisciotti’s mouth, but 2025 was a severe disappointment from start to finish. It ultimately came to a boiling point, and Bisciotti had no choice but to fire Harbaugh.