Bits and pieces are beginning to emerge surrounding the abrupt firing of Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
The Ravens relieved Harbaugh of his duties on Tuesday, just days after Baltimore saw its season come to an end in heartbreaking fashion. Cracks were reportedly beginning to emerge in Harbaugh’s relationship with the team and its players long before Tyler Loop missed his now-infamous 44-yard kick.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Harbaugh’s firing was “the product of several conversations” between Ravens executives, players, and even Harbaugh himself.
Per the report, the overarching sense was that Harbaugh had “lost the locker room” even before the season finale loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Players were said to have soured on the idea of playing for Harbaugh going forward, and Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta put significant value in his players’ opinions.
Rapoport added that while Harbaugh’s rift with Lamar Jackson “started” the discord, the two-time MVP was far from the only player voicing concerns against the longtime coach.
Harbaugh was reportedly caught off guard by the decision and “felt he was in good standing” with the organization despite the team’s shortcomings this season.
While Harbaugh had an unceremonious exit from Baltimore, he won’t have much trouble finding a new gig. Several reporters confirmed that Harbaugh’s phone was ringing nonstop after news broke of his firing.
