ExtremeRavens Posted 13 hours ago Posted 13 hours ago The Ravens were, in the words of one source with direct knowledge of the inner workings of the team, “hanging by a thread” in the final weeks of the 2025 season. Still, there was a belief that Baltimore and its Super Bowl-caliber roster needed a reset and not an “overhaul” after finishing 8-9 and out of the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Despite the collapse, there was faith among at least some inside the Ravens’ sprawling, nearly $100 million practice facility that things were much closer to fixable than not. Then came the stunning news. John Harbaugh, who was the second-longest-tenured coach in the NFL behind the Steelers’ Mike Tomlin and the winningest coach in franchise history with his 180 regular-season wins ranking 14th all-time, was out. The Baltimore Sun spoke to more than 10 sources, all of whom have intimate knowledge of the team and organization and were granted anonymity to speak freely, to explain what went wrong this season, why a coaching change was made and what could come next for Harbaugh and for the Ravens. Here is a look at why and how it happened, and what’s next for both parties. The emotions of the roller-coaster year appeared to take their toll on Harbaugh, members of his staff and the players, according to several people who spoke to The Baltimore Sun. The feelings ranged from disappointment to discontent to uncertainty to frustration — over a familiar pattern of losing and blown leads, a regression by the defense and the offense, as well as Lamar Jackson’s injuries. Yet, at least some inside and many outside of the building expected that the 63-year-old Harbaugh had a good chance of returning, despite external and percolating questions about his job security and the state of his relationship with his star quarterback. Then, two days after Tyler Loop’s missed game-winning field goal try against the Steelers in Pittsburgh ended their season, and one day after Harbaugh met with general manager Eric DeCosta, executive vice president Ozzie Newsome and president Sashi Brown in Owings Mills, as well as conducted a final team meeting, the fraying string snapped. Owner Steve Bisciotti phoned Harbaugh to tell him that he was fired, two sources with direct knowledge of the call told The Sun. Harbaugh, who signed a three-year extension nine months ago that made him one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport and was under contract through the 2028 season, was surprised, a source close to Harbaugh said. His statement noted “disappointment.” But Harbaugh also expressed “gratitude” for his 18 seasons in Baltimore, which included a Super Bowl title and a dozen playoff appearances, including four trips to the AFC championship game. In the days following his dismissal, those around him indicated that Harbaugh is at peace with the decision, which Bisciotti discussed with the coach in more detail two days after the firing, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. The coach’s MO has often been to move on quickly, and there are “no hard feelings,” the source said, adding that there are always “motivations” behind these moves. And even though he is no longer a head coach for the first time in nearly two decades, there is an enthusiasm for what’s ahead. That things reached this point, though, was also jolting, within the organization and around the league. Why things fell apart for the Ravens The reasons behind what led the Ravens to move on from Harbaugh are myriad and included input from players, one source with direct knowledge of the process said. On the field, the devil was in the details for a title season that never came close to being. A Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills — in which Baltimore squandered a 15-point fourth-quarter lead, resulting in a wicked hangover and unshakable malaise — created painfully familiar mental scar tissue, several players told The Baltimore Sun after the Ravens stumbled to a 1-5 start. Injuries piled up, too. The offensive line was also inconsistent at best and a sieve at worst, particularly on the interior. All but a few players on the roster regressed from the season before. Jackson missed four games because of injuries and, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the situation, at times preferred certain quarterback run plays not be in the game plan. That, of course, limited Jackson’s superpower as one of the most dynamic and dangerous players in the NFL, and he finished with easily his fewest rushing attempts (5.2) and rushing yards (26.8) per game of his eight-year career. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s unit, meanwhile, had played tentatively and was scared to make even the smallest mistakes, according to one defensive player. Typically dependable players like cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins and inside linebacker Roquan Smith struggled down the stretch, according to Pro Football Focus analytics. Off the field, things went deeper than injuries, offensive and defensive struggles, and a quarterback seemingly less willing to run. Early in the season, veteran and respected voices in the locker room painted a picture of a group frustrated with offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s play-calling. One player stormed out of an offensive meeting amid the early-season slide. Harbaugh struggled to connect with some of the team’s younger players, one player said. It didn’t help, either, a source said, that Jackson continued to miss a practice a week for two straight months down the stretch, even as the Ravens’ season hung in the balance. The notion being that players — even a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player — need repetitions. The team also needed Jackson’s “juice,” the source said, because his presence was a magnetic force with the other 52 players on the roster. Quarterback Lamar Jackson, left, will have a new coach for the first time in his pro career after the Ravens fired coach John Harbaugh last week. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Over the final few weeks in particular, questions started to arise about the dynamic between Jackson, Harbaugh and Monken. Harbaugh continuously praised his quarterback and said his relationship with the star was “A-plus.” He also defended him in the wake of a Baltimore Sun column that raised questions about Jackson’s work ethic and having fallen asleep in meetings, a notion that the coach and quarterback publicly refuted. Monken later also disputed that there was friction within the group, though he indicated that things weren’t perfect. “Lamar and I, to me, had a good relationship,” Monken said last week on the “Ryan Ripken Show.” “Could it have been better? Of course. Lamar and I never had an issue. I don’t know where that comes from.” Now, though, the Ravens and Harbaugh will head in divergent directions. What’s next for Harbaugh Harbaugh has already drawn interest from a handful of teams, including the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins, according to a source with direct knowledge. He has begun sorting out opportunities, and the Falcons said Monday that they completed an interview. All of them make sense for one reason or another. The Giants are viewed as a legacy franchise, Harbaugh has a close relationship with co-owner, president and chief executive John Mara and family, and they have a young, enticing quarterback in Jaxson Dart. The Falcons feature a roster dripping with talent. They just hired former quarterback Matt Ryan as president of football operations, and the NFC South, where the 8-9 Carolina Panthers won the division, presents a fast track to winning. The Titans likewise have a captivating quarterback in Cam Ward, a general manager (Eric Borgonzi) who worked with close friend and Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid for years, and, for now, a defensive coordinator (Dennard Wilson) who worked under Harbaugh in Baltimore before leaving for Tennessee. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has close ties to Harbaugh, and he would bring the kind of gravitas the organization hasn’t had in decades, though the unsettled quarterback situation could be a turn-off. What’s next for Ravens Questions about that, though, will undoubtedly be asked when Bisciotti and DeCosta take questions from reporters at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. It will be the owner’s first time speaking with local reporters since 2022. It will also be DeCosta’s first time talking since before the season began. The biggest question will be what role, if any, Jackson played in Harbaugh’s firing. With Baltimore needing to reduce Jackson’s looming $74.5 million salary cap hit as it engages with extension talks with the quarterback, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the two could be connected as a way to engage the star in meaningful talks to get a deal done. It’s hardly the only intriguing question. How did the Ravens’ losses impact the decision? Was Harbaugh reluctant to make certain changes to his staff? What was the final straw? What direction the Ravens go with their next coach will also be a topic of conversation. Already, they announced that they have had interviews with Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Broncos pass game coordinator Davis Webb, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, former Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and former Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Others on the list include Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, and Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator and former Raven Anthony Weaver, among others. Now all that remains is to find out why they moved on from Harbaugh, the winningest coach in franchise history, after 18 seasons and who will be next. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article Quote
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