After 18 seasons leading the Baltimore Ravens, head coach John Harbaugh and the team have mutually agreed to part ways. The move, announced Tuesday, marks the end of an era for the franchise, with Harbaugh leaving as the team’s all-time winningest coach and a Super Bowl XLVII champion. Despite a recent postseason drought and a disappointing 8-9 finish to the 2025 season, Harbaugh’s overall record of 193-112 positions him among the NFL’s coaching elite and is expected to draw significant interest from teams with vacant head coaching positions.
Ravens Part Ways with Super Bowl-Winning Head Coach John Harbaugh After 18 Seasons
John Harbaugh is no longer the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, the team announced Tuesday, bringing an end to the tenure of the franchise’s most successful coach.
The move comes just two days after the Ravens fell to their AFC North rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, 26-24, eliminating them from playoff contention for the first time since 2021. Harbaugh had signed a three-year contract extension prior to the previous season and was under contract through the 2028 campaign.
Harbaugh, 63, ranks 12th all-time in NFL coaching wins with 193 and led the Ravens to a Super Bowl title in 2012. He was the second-longest tenured active head coach in the league, trailing only Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, who is in his 19th season with the Steelers.
Despite his early playoff success, Harbaugh’s postseason results had cooled in recent years, a disappointing trend given the presence of two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson. In eight seasons with Jackson at quarterback, Harbaugh managed just three playoff victories and never reached the AFC Championship Game.
In a statement, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti called the decision “incredibly difficult.”
“Throughout what I firmly believe to be a Hall of Fame coaching career, John has delivered a Super Bowl championship to Baltimore and served as a steadfast pillar of humility and leadership,” Bisciotti said. “He and his family have become deeply rooted in this community. For these profound contributions, on and off the field, we should all be eternally grateful.”
“Our goal has always been, and will continue to be, to win championships. We strive for consistent performance at the highest level and to be a team and organization our fans are proud of. I will always be grateful for the extraordinary hard work and dedication shown by John and his staff over many successful years.”
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 6, 2026
Multiple teams with head coaching vacancies are now expected to pursue Harbaugh, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Harbaugh’s final season in Baltimore proved to be a challenging one. The Ravens (8-9), who entered the season as Super Bowl contenders, finished with a losing record for the third time under his leadership. This disappointing finish marked a low point for a team with high expectations.
Fan discontent grew throughout a season in which the Ravens posted a 3-6 record at M&T Bank Stadium, the worst home mark in franchise history. Harbaugh was booed off the field following a 44-10 loss to the Houston Texans on October 5, and significant numbers of seats remained empty during the final seven home games.
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 6, 2026
Criticism of Harbaugh intensified after a 28-24 loss to the New England Patriots on December 21, when running back Derrick Henry did not receive a single carry in the final 12 minutes of the game, despite Baltimore holding a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter.
In his final postgame press conference following Sunday’s defeat in Pittsburgh, Harbaugh was asked if he wanted another opportunity to coach the Ravens. “Yes, I want these guys,” he responded.
Reporting from Jamison Hensley was used in this report.
