After an incredibly successful 18 seasons, including a 180-113 regular-season record and 12 playoff appearances, the Baltimore Ravens made a franchise-altering decision to part ways with Super Bowl-winning head coach John Harbaugh.
Being one of the most decorated coaching options on the market, Harbaugh had no issue finding a new gig, as the New York Giants inked him to one of the largest head coaching contracts in NFL history.
The news surrounding Harbaugh’s departure has died down, but as players return to their facilities for offseason workouts, several Ravens stars have been very candid about both Harbaugh’s exit and his fresh start with the Giants.
Ravens Players React to John Harbaugh Joining the Giants
Ravens three-time Pro Bowl safety and two-time All-Pro first-team selection Kyle Hamilton shared his initial feeling: “I was actually playing video games, and my fiancée, Reese, busted in the room and was like, ‘They fired Coach Harbaugh.’ And my initial reaction was kind of just shock. And then you start just kind of reminiscing on the past four years of my career and the almost 20 years or however long he was here, with success and good football being played.
“And you start thinking about all the personal moments that you had. I’m excited for him, [and I’m] excited for us. I think he has a great opportunity up there in New York, and they stole a lot of our players, but those guys will do great up there as well. But everything’s got an expiration date, and he did great stuff while he was here.”
Zay Flowers, a two-time Pro Bowler and two-time 1,000-plus-yard wide receiver, shared a similar sentiment to Hamilton: “With Coach Harbaugh, we were shocked that it happened. I was shocked. I was drafted under him [and played for him] for three years, and I appreciated that he came and got me and that we did what we did. So, I’m excited for his new job over at the Giants to see what he does. But, we are all excited. We all have new opportunities to start over.”
Flowers later added, “It’s going to feel different, because we have a new coach with the energy. We were so used to Coach Harbaugh, and now we have a new start. So, it’s like everybody here, everybody wants to prove something.”
Tight end Mark Andrews, a three-time Pro Bowler, one-time All-Pro first-team selection, and the Ravens’ go-to pass catcher for the past eight seasons, offered his thoughts as well: “I found out probably just like everybody else; there was like a Zoom meeting and stuff like that. But yes, that’s really how I found out. Just my reaction is thinking about Coach Harbs and everything that we’ve done and been through and the type of person that he is, you have to recognize and respect that.
“I will forever have love and respect for him, and he’s someone I can call at any time and just talk to, because that’s the type of person that he is. And I have a lot of love for him… I was blessed to be able to be drafted in 2018 and have Coach Harbaugh and be with him for these last eight years. I take incredible pride in the product that we put out and pride in just the man that he is. I’m incredibly grateful to him and this organization.”
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
Speaking on his former Baltimore teammates who departed in free agency, Andrews stated: “Well, I’m excited for those guys. Those guys have worked their butts off: Charlie [Kolar], Isaiah [Likely], and ‘Pat’ [Patrick Ricard]. They put in the work, and they saw the reward. And I’m excited for them to go out there and improve everybody again and again… For [Isaiah], I’m excited for him and his opportunity.”
In 2025, the Ravens finished 8-9 and missed the postseason for only the second time since 2018. According to PFSN’s NFL Offense Impact Metrics, Baltimore’s offense ranked 20th, and its defense placed 18th. All things considered, Harbaugh has majorly struggled to get the Ravens over the hump in recent years, making the franchise’s decision to move on very understandable.
Now, both Harbaugh and the Ravens get a fresh start. Harbaugh, a Super Bowl champion, will aim to lead Big Blue back to the playoffs, while Jesse Minter, Baltimore’s first-year head coach, attempts to help the franchise re-enter title contention.
