The John Harbaugh era in Baltimore is over after the Ravens decided to part ways with their longtime head coach following the 2025 season.
There was smoke that the Ravens could opt to start fresh at head coach if the Ravens failed to make the playoffs this season, and that ended up happening after Baltimore missed the playoffs due to a missed field goal from Tyler Loop. Still, the decision sparked mixed reactions, including from Hall of Fame head coach and NBC analyst Tony Dungy, who was baffled by the choice for Baltimore to move on.
“I can’t believe what things have come to in the NFL,” Dungy wrote on X. “John Harbaugh has coached the Baltimore Ravens for 18 years. He took them to the playoffs 12 times. He won a Super Bowl for them. The last 4 years they were 10-7, 13-4, 12-5, 8-9. They made the playoffs 3 straight years and missed this year because their kicker missed the game winning FG on the last play of the season. And he was fired???? I’m sorry but I don’t understand. Good luck Baltimore in finding a better coach..”
Dungy was in a somewhat similar situation during his coaching days with the Buccaneers. Despite leading Tampa Bay to four playoff appearances in six seasons, the Buccaneers fired Dungy after losing in the wildcard round in two straight seasons. The Buccaneers went on to win the Super Bowl the following year while Dungy eventually won a championship with the Colts.
Harbaugh now exits Baltimore after a much longer tenure than Dungy had in Tampa and also after leading the Ravens to a Super Bowl victory. Sure, the Ravens have not won a Super Bowl in over a decade and failed to capitalize on winning a title with MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson so far, but Dungy clearly does not believe that warranted his firing.
With the Ravens beginning the search for their next head coach, Harbaugh emerges as the most coveted coaching candidate for a number of vacancies across the NFL.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Tony Dungy Critical of Ravens' Decision to Move on From John Harbaugh.
