Ravens fire head coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons: reports

The Baltimore Ravens have fired veteran head coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons, according to multiple reports.  

The decision comes two days after Harbaugh’s 2025 squad was unable to secure the AFC North title, losing in heartbreaking fashion to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18. 

It was a game that looked to be a miraculous comeback for the Ravens, as rookie kicker Tyler Loop had a 44-yard field goal to win the division and secure the No. 4 seed in the AFC in this year’s playoffs.

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However, Loop’s kick went hard to the right as it flew through the Pittsburgh air, and the home-field crowd went ballistic with the Steelers winning the division instead.

There was talk about whether this could be the end to Harbaugh’s storied time in Baltimore, and while it didn’t happen on “Black Monday” like other organizations, the Ravens are heading in a new direction for the first time since 2008.

Harbaugh quickly becomes the top head-coaching candidate for teams searching to fill their own vacancies. Those teams include the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders.

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Harbaugh owned a 180-113 record, as well as a 13-11 postseason record, during his 18 seasons with the franchise. He led the Ravens to a Super Bowl victory during the 2012 season after going 10-6.

Harbaugh, the brother of Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, has the most road playoff game victories in NFL history, showcasing his pedigree when the game matters most.

It shouldn’t be long before reports surface that Harbaugh has head coach interviews on his calendar, as teams are already working to get top names in the building to solidify their direction for 2026 and beyond.

As for the Ravens, there are top names like Kevin Stefanski, who they’re quite familiar with given his last six seasons in the AFC North with the Browns. Raheem Morris is also someone already on the move after the Falcons fired him in a playoff-less 2025 season as well.

The 63-year-old Harbaugh’s NFL coaching career began as the special teams coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1998 following stops in college at Western Michigan, Pitt, Morehead state, Cincinnati and Indiana.

Harbaugh spent 10 seasons in Philadelphia, nine of which in the special teams coordinator role before getting his crack at a head coaching gig with the Ravens. He went 11-5 in his inaugural season, and quickly developed the franchise into a formidable force in the AFC.

Through his 18 seasons, Harbaugh has only had a losing record three times, with his worst mark being the 2015 campaign at 5-11. The other two were 8-9 seasons in 2021 and 2025.

Harbaugh secured double-digit victories in 11 of those 18 seasons, including three straight from 2022-24.

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