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After 18 years, the John Harbaugh era in Baltimore is over.

His ouster as Ravens coach comes just two days after one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history ended with a missed field goal and a 26-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Here are reactions from Baltimore Banner staff.

No playoff payoff

You could argue that John Harbaugh had the NFL’s best team entering the playoffs in 2019, 2023 and 2024. You could also argue that they were only that good because of his work in maintaining the Ravens’ culture, finding new schematic edges and empowering his players to succeed.

What’s inarguable is the lack of postseason success in the Lamar Jackson era: just three wins, and only one AFC championship game appearance. This year, the Ravens didn’t get even into the dance. Even if they had, a Super Bowl run seemed unlikely.

Harbaugh’s ouster is a surprise, but it sets the bar for what Steve Bisciotti seeks in his replacement. And what a high bar it is: “Our goal has always been and will always be to win Championships,” Bisciotti said his statement. “We strive to consistently perform at the highest level on the field and be a team and organization our fans take pride in. ... We fully understand the expectations of our fans and everyone in the Ravens organization. Finding another strong leader and partner who will reflect these high standards is paramount.”

— Jonas Shaffer, reporter

The right time for a gamble

The disconnect between John Harbaugh and the players seemed to show in little ways: the lack of enthusiasm during his meetings aired on “Hard Knocks,” their confused looks when he tried to dap them up on the sidelines, subtle comments about how strict he was.

But none of that truly matters if there’s success.

And the regimented way he ran the team certainly led to consistency. Players even expressed shock at how disorganized they found other organizations after leaving Baltimore.

However, for as much consistency as they’ve shown over the years, that all disappeared in the playoffs and other important moments. It became a characteristic of the team to the point where players who built careers with their dependability suddenly had a mental block in playoffs. Harbaugh never had any answers when asked how to solve that problem.

Harbaugh also often didn’t have answers when his coordinators made questionable decisions. Sure, he’s not the play caller, but he either wasn’t taking charge in important moments or he was making excuses. He was also responsible for hiring the coordinators whose units fell way below expectations.

It never felt like it was going to happen. He’d been here for a long time, and everyone knew he was close with the team’s owner — who hasn’t shared his thoughts in years. And I’m not exactly sure there’s an available coach who will be better. But after this team fell so far short of expectations and with Lamar Jackson turning 29 in a few days, this felt like the right time for a gamble.

— Giana Han, reporter

There’s risk, but this makes sense

John Harbaugh is one of the better coaches in NFL history.

But so is Andy Reid. He got fired by the Eagles and it worked out for both sides.

Sometimes change for change’s sake is needed. It’s frankly astonishing that Harbaugh was as effective as he was for so long. But messages get stale, approaches lose effectiveness and power structures become too entrenched to adapt and evolve anywhere near as quickly as they need to in an environment as competitive as the NFL.

Finding the right replacement won’t be easy — most coaching hires fail. But this is a much-needed chance to see if somebody else can get this core to the podium where they award the Lombardi Trophy, finally.

(And yes, it’s possible they’ll have to face their old coach to earn their way up there. He’s that good.)

— Chris Korman, editor

Be careful what you wish for

A loud contingent of the fan base has asked for this for years. Far too often the Ravens looked like world-beaters in the regular season, only to crumble in the playoffs, and for the critics, John Harbaugh’s shtick started to wear thin. Fair enough. But the NFL is littered with incompetent organizations that would crave the years of sustained success Harbaugh brought to Baltimore.

The Ravens have yet to secure a Lombardi Trophy with Lamar Jackson, the most gifted offensive player in franchise history, but that can’t be chalked up to coaching alone.

Harbaugh didn’t turn the ball over three times against the Titans in 2019. He didn’t put the ball on the ground five times or miss two field goals against the Bills in 2020. He didn’t precariously extend the ball for the goal line against the Bengals in 2022 or the Chiefs in 2023, only to fumble away a prime scoring opportunity. And he didn’t drop the game-tying two-point attempt against Buffalo in 2024. He didn’t miss the 44-yard field goal to get the team into the dance this season.

He did build a culture that resulted in more winning seasons than not. And what was the decision years ago to reorient the offense around Jackson’s unique talents if not a brilliant piece of coaching? The Ravens will likely now build their staff from the ground up to finally get over the playoff hump, and it will take a special group to equal Harbaugh’s record in Baltimore. Just look at all the teams reportedly lining up for his services.

— Brandon Weigel, editor