Many believe John Harbaugh is coaching for his job with the Baltimore Ravens amid a three-game losing streak, but the reality is he and the team may have already decided on Harbaugh’s exact departure date.
According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, that date will be in the relatively near future. La Canfora reported on Sunday that there is a strong sense that Harbaugh and the Ravens have decided they will mutually part ways following the 2018 season. Harbaugh is entering the final year of his contract and is unlikely to get an extension.
The Ravens are 4-5 and not yet out of the playoff hunt, so things could change in a hurry if they rip off a bunch of wins and make a deep postseason run. However, they appear to be heading into a new era with Eric DeCosta set to take over for longtime general manager Ozzie Newsome following the season and Joe Flacco’s days as the starting quarterback potentially numbered. Starting fresh with a new head coach might make sense.
As La Canfora notes, however, Harbaugh has not lost his locker room and there are no signs of dysfunction in Baltimore. Without an obvious head coaching replacement in house, it would make no sense for the Ravens to fire their longtime coach in the middle of a season.
Harbaugh has been with the Ravens since 2008. He has an overall record of 98-71 in the regular season and is 10-5 in the playoffs with one Super Bowl championship. Baltimore has not been to the playoffs since 2014.
Assuming Harbaugh and the Ravens do part ways, he should have no trouble finding a head coaching gig elsewhere. The Cleveland Browns would be one option, though they might have a different candidate at the top of their list.
