Essentially the most beautiful NFL-related occasion of the 12 months’s first week has been the Baltimore Ravens’ firing of longtime head coach John Harbaugh on Tuesday.
For a chunk printed late Tuesday night time, Giana Han of The Baltimore Banner spoke with a number of Ravens gamers on the situation of anonymity in regards to the resolution some members of the locker room known as “surprising” and “stunning.”
Ravens’ firing of John Harbaugh was “surprising”
One Ravens participant stated that the membership firing Harbaugh “was surprising due to how lengthy he’d been there.” Harbaugh had been within the function since January 2008.
“I don’t suppose most thought it might occur, however with what went down, you count on one thing to provide,” that participant continued. “Simply not that.”
Underneath Harbaugh, the 2025 Ravens began the season with 5 losses in six video games. Baltimore’s marketing campaign then ended by way of a brutal Week 18 defeat on the rival Pittsburgh Steelers.
Following Tuesday’s developments, one report claimed that Harbaugh misplaced quarterback Lamar Jackson and different Baltimore gamers. Dianna Russini of The Athletic shared that Harbaugh’s “refusal to entertain any conversations about doubtlessly transferring on from offensive coordinator Todd Monken” was “a key stress level” that led to the coach’s dismissal.
“Gamers felt the Ravens labored on a selected recreation plan in the course of the week solely to desert it mid-game, creating chaos and confusion,” Han wrote. “Additionally they seen Monken as more and more standoffish and unwilling to collaborate with gamers. Group sources expressed frustration over Monken’s selections all through the season.”
John Harbaugh seemingly did not lose each Ravens participant
One participant who spoke with Han known as Harbaugh a “players-first” coach. Others stated they seen Harbaugh as “untouchable” earlier than Ravens proprietor Steve Bisciotti announced on Tuesday that he had fired the 63-year-old “following a complete analysis of the season and the general course of our group.”
“If there’s anybody that’s a Raven via and thru,” one Baltimore participant added about Harbaugh, “it was him.”
Truthful or not, the perception exists that Jackson emerged because the winner of an influence wrestle. He accrued a postseason record as a starter of 3-5 below Harbaugh, however Jackson now can have a chance to show that he can win a minimum of a convention championship recreation whereas working with a distinct teaching employees.
