Roundtable Reactions: Ravens fire head coach John Harbaugh

On Tuesday, following the Sunday Pittsburgh loss that sent the Baltimore Ravens home at 8-9, the Ravens fired 18-year head coach John Harbaugh. Here are the instant reactions from Baltimore Beatdown’s staff:

I have felt for months that John Harbaugh could be fired if the Ravens did not make the playoffs. That is the organization’s basic annual goal, and, for the first time since 2021, Harbaugh did not get the job done. Not only that, his team did not play well all year, even when they were winning. The same problems that have plagued both sides of the ball in seasons past became insurmountable this season. Harbaugh is not solely responsible for the team’s failures over the last several years, but he is the biggest consistent factor. That includes both his in-game decisions and his general management of the team.

Of course, all eyes will now turn towards the the Ravens’ head coaching search. This hiring cycle is not considered as strong as last year’s, but Baltimore’s vacancy will probably be one of the most desirable in the league. That should give Steve Bisciotti and Eric DeCosta a strong shot at landing their preferred candidate. – Nikhil Mehta

Wow. It’s finally over. John Harbaugh has been the only coach I’ve known since following the Ravens, so this feels weird. However, it was clearly time. Harbaugh is one of the more well-respected coaches in the NFL and has helped build a great culture in Baltimore, but Steve Bisciotti and Eric DeCosta felt, along with the fan base, that his time had run its course. It will be a new era of Ravens football next year, and it should figure to be the most desirable coaching position available. Hindsight is 20/20, but this is something that should’ve happened after the 2023 season when the team had Mike MacDonald in the building. The question now becomes… what direction does Baltimore go? Offensive-minded coach, defensive-minded? This almost certainly means the end of either Zach Orr or Todd Monken’s time in Baltimore as well. So many questions, but it should be a very exciting offseason in Baltimore. – Stephen Bopst

I am stunned. Even though the writing was on the wall following such a disappointing season and another heartbreaking final game, I did not expect this decision, and especially not so soon.

With that being said, this had to be the way forward for Eric DeCosta and the Ravens. I am completely scrambled. In a perfect world, the Ravens would have made this decision when better offensive-minded coaches were available. A move like this likely means Zach Orr will also be gone as well. Reports have also made it seem like Todd Monken could also be on the way out. This is unprecedented territory for a franchise known for its stability. It will be strange to see another face on the sidelines next season, but I am eager to see how this will unfold. – Mark Myers

I am actually shocked that the Ravens did it. This is honestly a little bittersweet. I was ready for Baltimore to move in a different direction, but John Harbaugh has been a constant in my football life for almost two decades. He will not have trouble finding a new job and will likely do very well wherever he lands, but it was time for a change here. There’s only so many times you can bang your head against the same brick wall before trying a new approach.

This is quite an exciting time to be a Ravens fan. A new coach has the potential to reinvigorate this roster as they push for the ever-elusive Super Bowl while Lamar Jackson is still in his prime. I expect that both coordinators will be gone as well after a move like this. This should immediately vault to the top head coach opening on the market now. I am beyond excited to see what is ahead for this team, but I also want to thank Harbaugh for the countless memories and great moments he helped create in his time here. – Dustin Cox

I can’t believe they actually did it. It was expected after such an awful season. But 18 years can be hard to break up, no matter how bad it gets. And then talks recently made it seem like the Ravens were truly thinking about retaining him and only making changes on the coordinator level. Instead, it is Harbaugh who gets the first axe. Taking a step back, it’s a big day. Harbaugh has been here for nearly two decades and was a big part of the Ravens culture. He helped revive the Ravens after years of mediocrity following the 2000 Super Bowl. The Ravens have been a team that was always in the conversation, and whose every game mattered until the end of the season. A lot of teams can’t say they’ve had that kind of success for 20 years, and Harbaugh is a big reason Baltimore could.

But it was time to move on. The Ravens have Lamar Jackson at quarterback, and the lack of playoff success with only one championship game appearance over eight years is underachieving. Making the playoffs can’t be enough. Years of blown fourth-quarter leads and fumbling away have stacked up beyond a singular season, player, or coordinator. Eventually, the head coach has to be looked at. I think hiring Zach Orr, who just simply wasn’t ready, and missing the playoffs this season was the last straw for Harbaugh. Now the search for a new era of Ravens football begins. Look out for names like Brian Flores, Robert Saleh, Klint Kubiak, and Jesse Minter as names to be connected to Baltimore. – Zach Canter