Sep 5, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh talks with quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Ravens Players React to John Harbaugh's Dismissal

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Jan 7, 2026 2:00 PM ET

Most of the NFL teams who've parted ways with their head coach in the days since the regular season finale had weeks, or in some cases, months to mull over losing records.

The same couldn't be said for the Baltimore Ravens, who, despite never quite manifesting into the contender everyone initially penned them as, still entered Week 18 with a shot at the playoffs. It was in that win-or-go home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers where John Harbaugh would coach his last game, losing in yet another 26-24 heartbreaker mere days before the franchise elected to trek on without him.

Enough was enough for the organization after years of just-missed opportunities and blown leads, with the Lamar Jackson era having resulted in one AFC Championship Game appearance and no new championship hardware. And by the sound of it, the players felt Harbaugh's time coming to an end about as much as the usually-dramatic fans did.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

"One player summed it up as 'surprised but not shocked,'" ESPN's Jamison Hensley wrote. "After the season-ending loss in Pittsburgh, Jackson was asked whether he wanted Harbaugh to remain as coach. Jackson declined to talk about anything regarding the future, saying, 'I'm stunned right now, and I'm still trying to process what's going on.'"

Parsing Through Mixed Reactions

As minor as it is, it's worth noting that Jackson didn't provide any mention of Harbaugh in his end-of-season Instagram post that he published on the morning following the coach's parting.

He wasn't the only notable offensive contributor to fall short of sticking up on Harbaugh's behalf. Hensley reported that star running back Derrick Henry and starting right tackle Ronnie Stanley, two of the more important players in Baltimore's attack, both "declined to give a resounding vote of confidence to Harbaugh."

"The players continued to fight under Harbaugh even toward the end of an underachieving season, and the 41-24 win in Green Bay on Dec. 27 was a sign the team hadn't quit on the coach. But, while cleaning out their lockers Monday, a few players mentioned that this team underperformed."

Compare those measured, business-like responses with Marlon Humphrey, who jetted to X to give a simple shoutout to his coach of nearly a decade.

John Harbaugh. A good man.
— marlonhumphrey.eth (@marlon_humphrey) January 7, 2026

The Ravens now ready for a longer offseason than usual, now having missed the playoffs with a health-enough-to-play Jackson for the first time ever. This should provide plenty of time to scour the field for new head coaching candidates, with buy-in with the star-studded locker room clearly lingering near the top of necessary incoming traits.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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