ExtremeRavens Posted 7 hours ago Posted 7 hours ago When Alohi Gilman learned that he was being traded to the Ravens in early October, his phone buzzed with a message that made him pause amid the expected chaos from an in-season, cross-country move from Los Angeles to Baltimore. Jim Harbaugh, a coach who trusted him and pushed the Chargers toward a tougher identity over the past two seasons, wanted Gilman to know that he’d be missed. “He said he’s bummed for me to leave,” Gilman recalled. “But happy that he knows where I’m going … he knows I’m in good hands.” Gilman is one of three current Ravens, along with outside linebacker David Ojabo and practice squad wide receiver Cornelius Johnson, who have played for both John and Jim Harbaugh. Together, they offer a rare inside look at two of the most decorated coaching siblings in football history. The Harbaugh family tree has intersected at the highest level. John holds a 3-0 edge over his younger brother Jim in their head-to-head matchups as opposing NFL coaches. There was the Thanksgiving night game in 2011, when the Ravens beat the 49ers, 16-6. There was the biggest stage of all, Super Bowl XLVII, a 34-31 Baltimore victory that remains etched in league history as the “Harbaugh Bowl.” The Harbaugh brothers met on opposite sidelines again last November, when the Ravens defeated the Chargers, 30-23, at SoFi Stadium. Jim, who turned 62 on Tuesday, has never forgotten any of the unique matchups with John, 63. “My brother, my best friend, I love him, I’m proud of him,” Jim said last February. “He earned that [Super Bowl XLVII victory] and he deserved that and his team did. … When I say it motivates me every day, it’s every day.” Competition runs deep in the Harbaugh family, even from afar. After the Chargers defeated the Steelers in Week 10, aiding the Ravens in the AFC North race, John jokingly acknowledged that he texted his younger brother numerous “good luck” and “thank you” messages that week. “I was very pleased with the outcome,” John Harbaugh said with a big laugh on Nov. 10, one day after Jim’s Chargers defeated Pittsburgh. For the three Ravens who have experienced both brothers up close, the similarities often outweigh the differences. The Harbaughs are unapologetically old-school, and both brothers always credit their mother, Jackie, and father, Jack, who spent more than four decades coaching among the college ranks. “They have a true passion for their dad and that family and that family tree and football,” Ojabo said. “Experiencing it in their delivery … they have their own unique way of handing off messages. Both are very football oriented. They keep the main thing the main thing, every single story somehow has a way to relate back to football. Which again, is what we get paid to do, so their messaging is perfect in my eyes.” Said Gilman: “They’re a big football family. They’re all about ball. Kind of a no-nonsense environment, just all about ball.” Each Harbaugh brother has carved his own path. Jim spent more than a decade in the NFL playing as a quarterback and now as a coach gravitates toward the “offense as his baby,” Gilman described. John worked his way up through special teams and defense, and still expresses plenty of passion with those specific phases. Since Gilman arrived in October, the Ravens’ defense rediscovered its identity, emphasizing communication and physicality. His presence in the secondary also has allowed former college teammate and fellow safety Kyle Hamilton to play closer to the line of scrimmage. The trade that sent pass rusher Odafe Oweh to Los Angeles was a reminder that even in a season full of twists, Baltimore was determined to reinforce its strengths, deployed for 18 seasons under John. Ojabo has witnessed the Harbaugh way shape players from the very beginning. He vividly remembers sitting in a diner booth as a teenager when Jim traveled to his New Jersey prep school to sit down with and recruit him to Michigan. “From that moment, I knew already — this is my coach,” Ojabo said. “His energy was pure and it was strictly football. He also stressed the importance of education, which is very important in my [Nigerian] culture. I was sold.” Ojabo broke out during his sophomore season, posting 11 sacks. He credits his growth to the Harbaugh mentality, repeatedly drilled by Jim. “That confidence instilled from the teaching of the coaching staff, it made you unbreakable,” Ojabo said. “If [Jim or John] put you out there, you can’t take that for granted, man. They’ve seen a lot of football, won a lot of games, changed a lot of programs. “I don’t want to let either of them down.” Draft night brought his journey full circle. John and the Ravens selected Ojabo in the second round in 2022. “It just shows family,” Ojabo said. “They take care of each other. I’m sure they talked, they exchanged notes. … From the start man, that whole Harbaugh family aspect and football aspect, it’s been conjoined.” Johnson took a longer road to Baltimore, but he sees a similar heartbeat in both coaches. He spent a rare five years, all at Michigan under Jim, culminating in a national championship season that became a defining moment in Jim’s second act in college football. “I never transferred. We built something strong there with my teammates and coach Harbaugh,” Johnson said. “At Michigan they say, ‘those who stay will be champions.’ And we ended up being national champions.” That same offseason, Jim left Michigan to replace Brandon Staley in Los Angeles. On Day 3 of the draft, the Chargers selected Johnson. “That was a dream come true,” he said. “I’m forever thankful Jim gave me the opportunity.” Outside linebacker David Ojabo, shown in 2024, has played for both Jim and John Harbaugh during his career. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) “Compared to Staley, [Jim] changed the culture in Los Angeles, the accountability,” Gilman said. “He kind of created that tough-nosed, gritty mentality over there.” Johnson was later cut by the Chargers and spent the 2024 season on the Packers practice squad. Green Bay waived him this past August, and about a week later, the Ravens called with an offer for him to join the team’s developmental group. Johnson considered the opportunity to work under the older Harbaugh a no-brainer. “They’re different,” Johnson said of Jim and John, “but you also see a lot of similarities in between like some of their mannerisms. They both talk about their father, Jack Harbaugh, a lot. They both like boxing. It makes sense because they grew up together. It’s cool to see that. They have a lot of similarities in some of the ways they do stuff with the team meetings and how they deliver messages.” After they shared a dormitory hall and multiple classes at Michigan, Johnson and Ojabo are reunited in Baltimore. The NFL season has been a blur, but during down times, the pair of teammates enjoy reflecting on their individual journeys, playing for both Jim and now John. With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Ravens currently sit outside the AFC’s playoff picture, while the Chargers sit in the No. 5 seed. Regardless of how the season finishes out, the Harbaugh brothers have changed programs, created legacies and lifted trophies on different levels. Throughout their individual coaching careers, family and football always serves as the foundation. “You’ve got to realize, man, they’re legends,” Ojabo said. “Think about brothers, blood brothers, winning together and playing against each other on the biggest stage. You can’t script that up. So you’ve got to take it all in while it’s here. “I don’t know if there’s ever going to be brothers coaching at this level in the future. You’ve got to take it all in.” Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. View the full article Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.