The Baltimore Ravens have fired head coach John Harbaugh, ending an 18-season run that included a Super Bowl title but increasingly stalled in the Lamar Jackson era. The news broke during Tuesday’s Inside Access on 105.7 The Fan, with reports indicating the organization began informing staff shortly after the decision was made.
While the move may feel seismic, Jason La Canfora, Ken Weinman and Tim Barbalace framed it as overdue rather than shocking. The Ravens’ inability to close games, persistent fourth-quarter breakdowns, and repeated struggles in late and close situations became defining traits of recent seasons, regardless of coordinator, roster makeup, or offseason tweaks.
Harbaugh’s track record in Baltimore is undeniable, but the conversation quickly shifted to stagnation. Multiple coordinator changes, ongoing game-management issues, and a carousel of assistant coaches pointed to a program spinning its wheels. As discussed on Inside Access, replacing the entire staff yet again would have meant asking Harbaugh to reset everything in what would have been his 19th season — an unsustainable path.
The timing of the decision underscores the urgency around Lamar Jackson. With Jackson approaching his 29th birthday and firmly in his prime, the Ravens appear to be making a win-now move rather than risking further growing pains. The AFC Championship run remains the high point of the Lamar era, but postseason success since then has been limited, intensifying pressure to maximize the window.
Attention now turns to what comes next. Inside Access debated whether ownership will pursue an experienced head coach or take a calculated risk on a younger candidate, noting that this is the most attractive opening on the market given the presence of a franchise quarterback. One era has ended in Baltimore — and the next must deliver quickly.