Head coach John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens suffered a heartbreaking loss against the New England Patriots on Sunday Night Football.
Frustration from fans and analysts boiled over after the game, with many suggesting the team move on from Harbaugh.
What NFL Legend Is Urging the Ravens To Consider Replacing John Harbaugh?
Even after leading 24–13 in the fourth quarter, they fumbled and allowed Drake Maye’s team to score 15 more points, resulting in a devastating loss. Following the 24-28 loss, fans and experts are urging a change in Baltimore.
The situation got worse when quarterback Lamar Jackson was injured for the second time in the season. Per the latest report by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Jackson’s status against the Green Bay Packers is up in the air, while the team might label him day-to-day.
But among many voices expressing anger toward the Ravens, former Denver Broncos legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Shannon Sharpe took a sharp shot at the franchise and urged the front office to consider a change in Baltimore.
Sharpe, who spent two seasons with the Ravens, spoke about the game on his “Nightcap” podcast with his co-host Chad Johnson.
Harbaugh is one of the rare coaches to lead the same franchise for over a decade. But unlike Andy Reid or Bill Belichick, he has not backed that longevity with major titles or consistent postseason achievements.
“It might be time for the Ravens to get a new voice,” Sharpe said. “They’re moving further and further away from getting where they want to be. They need to go in a different direction.”
He also added, “First of all, they’ve allowed this team to get old and slow. They got no pass rush. Drake Maye had all night, and when you brought pressure, that sacrificed you back in.”
Then, taking a shot at the Ravens’ veteran cornerback, 57-year-old HoF said, “Marlon Humphrey’s a little older now. He’s not the same Marlon Humphrey that he once was. Although he had great coverage on Williams, it was just a perfect throw.”
And lastly, added Baltimore can’t win the Super Bowl with the current depth chart and coaching staff.
“There’s not one Baltimore Ravens fan who can tell you that they have a realistic chance if they were to make the playoffs. Even if Lamar came back, they would have a realistic chance of getting to and winning the Super Bowl. They’re further away now. They’ve gotten further,” Sharpe added.
Harbaugh, since joining the Ravens in 2008, has helped the team win the Super Bowl in 2013, which is five years before Jackson came into the league, and was also the last time they won the conference championship.
That’s is why, just before Sharpe’s tough suggestion, CBS Sports’ senior analyst JP Acosta wrote on Dec. 10, “Now, I’m not calling for John Harbaugh’s job yet, but if this team misses the playoffs given the way they’ve looked all season, I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that Harbaugh is no longer the leader of the Ravens.”
What Went Wrong for Harbaugh’s Team against the Patriots?
New England converted 5 of 7 third downs in the fourth quarter and controlled roughly seven minutes of possession on its final two scoring drives. Baltimore’s offense collapsed after taking the lead.
On its final three possessions, the Ravens gained under 30 yards, recorded one first down, ran fewer than 10 plays, and held the ball for under four minutes, repeatedly giving the Patriots favorable field position.
The decisive moment was a Ravens fumble in their own territory, which directly set up the Patriots’ go-ahead touchdown and eliminated any remaining margin for error.
In the fourth quarter, Baltimore went 0-for-3 on third down, while New England converted at roughly a 70 percent rate.
The Ravens also failed to run the ball effectively after building the lead, leaving the defense on the field and the clock unused. And that resulted in a loss following a major blow to their QB room.
The Ravens are now 7-8 and two steps behind the top division contender, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
And only two games left in the season, which will test head coach John Harbaugh rather than the team.
