BALTIMORE _ Ravens coach John Harbaugh is nearing a contract extension that secures his future beyond next season, multiple media outlets reported Saturday.
The team announced in late December that Harbaugh would return as coach in 2019, the final year of his contract, and that the two sides were working on a new deal. But Harbaugh became the subject of possible trade speculation as the Ravens made their playoff push, and even after the team's wild-card-round loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Harbaugh, 56, was reluctant to talk about his coaching status, but he said after the season-ending defeat that he expected to return to Baltimore for his 12th season.
"I have every expectation, every plan, to be here as long as they want me here, and I believe I'll be here," he said. "I think that's been made clear by them, to me, over the last few weeks.
"I love everybody in the organization; they're great people. I expect to go forward with that as long as that's what they want to do. I do believe that's what they want to do. Let's roll."
The Ravens have made the playoffs seven times in Harbaugh's 11 seasons, including a victory in Super Bowl XLVII. He helped lead them this past season to their first AFC North title since 2012. Players hailed his coaching throughout a season marked by a quarterback change and an offensive makeover.
Harbaugh is the winningest coach in franchise history and the fourth-longest tenured in the NFL. This will be his first season under general manager Eric DeCosta, who took over for Ozzie Newsome this month.
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