The Baltimore Ravens are looking for new head coach for the first time since 2008 after firing John Harbaugh on Tuesday, ending the most successful run in the franchise’s history.
The 63-year-old Harbaugh took Baltimore to the playoffs in 12 of his 18 seasons with the club. He led the Ravens to victory at Super Bowl XLVII on Feb. 3 of 2013.
Harbaugh’s pink slip comes less than 48 hours after Baltimore missed the postseason with Sunday night’s loss at Pittsburgh. The Ravens dropped a 26-24 decision when kicker Tyler Loop missed a 44-yard field goal on the game’s final play.
Harbaugh’s tenure ends with a 180-113 record in 293 regular-season games for a 61.4 winning percentage. He posted a 13-11 record (54.2%) in 24 postseason contests.
Owner Steve Bisciotti dubbed the decision “incredibly difficult” in a statement released by the team.
“Throughout what I firmly believe is 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 deeply embedded themselves in this community. For these profound contributions, on and off the field, we should all be forever grateful.
“Our goal has always been and will always be to win Championships. We strive to consistently perform at the highest level on the field and be a team and organization our fans take pride in. I will always be grateful for the extraordinary hard work and dedication displayed by John and his staff throughout the many successful years.”
Harbaugh had inked a three-year extension last offseason that had him under contract through the 2028 campaign. He was the NFL’s second-longest tenured coach behind only Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, and he’s also the second-longest tenured coach in Baltimore sports history.
“Gratitude to the owner and organization who was willing to bring in a head coach who made his mark with Special Teams success,” Harbaugh said as part of a statement. “A difficult thing to do … and Appreciation for all the moments, all these years, that are etched into eternity.”
During his tenure in Baltimore, 10 of Harbaugh’s assistants became head coaches. He is one of only eight coaches in NFL history to coach more than 300 games with the same franchise.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Harbaugh’s agent received calls in the first 45 minutes after he was fired from seven different franchises interested in hiring him.