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One day after cleaning out their lockers in Owings Mills, Ravens players were making plans for the offseason, packing and, in linebacker Teddye Buchanan’s case, undergoing surgery.

They knew they’d underperformed this season, and they knew change was coming.

They did not think it would come in the form of firing John Harbaugh, according to several players who spoke with The Baltimore Banner. And they found out the way most other people did: The news leaked before Ravens officials could call a meeting, meaning many players found out via social media or texts from friends and family.

The players, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal team dynamics, described the move as “shocking” and “surprising.”

One said he was packing when he received a notification just a few minutes before a 6 p.m. Zoom call where players were officially told what they already knew: After 18 seasons, Harbaugh had been fired.

“For the most part, it was unexpected because of how long he’d been there,” a player said. “I don’t think most thought it would happen, but with what went down, you expect something to give, just not that.”

The players said they expected either offensive coordinator Todd Monken or defensive coordinator Zach Orr — or both — to be fired. Harbaugh was seen as the quintessential CEO head coach, setting a vision for the team while expecting his coordinators to execute; unlike most head coaches, he did not serve as an offensive or defensive coordinator at any point in his career.

So if a unit struggled — the offense fell from No. 1 to 11 in DVOA this year, while the defense went from No. 6 to 17 — players believed the coordinators would take the fall.

Especially if a coordinator’s relationship with his players had started to disintegrate. Multiple sources spoke to The Banner earlier this season to discuss discontent with Monken after the team got off to a 1-5 start.

Those sources, who had direct knowledge of how Monken ran the offense, said players felt the Ravens worked on a specific game plan during the week only to abandon it mid-game, creating chaos and confusion. They also viewed Monken as increasingly standoffish and unwilling to collaborate with players.

Team sources expressed frustration over Monken’s decisions throughout the season. Why did the Ravens abandon the run in critical moments? Why did the they bother to sign wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins if Monken was not going to use him? And why did Monken struggle to build a viable offense for games where Lamar Jackson was limited or out?

Defensive players, meanwhile, fervently defended Orr while acknowledging they were not playing well enough.

“There were a lot of highs and lows this year, a lot of just self-inflicted wounds,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said after their final loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. “We just never quite got to be the brand consistently, drive after drive, that we kind of wanted, game after game. It just was rough.”

He added that he expected there to be change this offseason since “this is a business.”

“They’ll do their meetings, and they’ll figure out who needs to stay, who needs to go,” Humphrey said. “I can really only speak for myself; I just wait and see if I’m part of the plans going forward or if I’m not.”

The players who spoke with The Banner knew change was coming, but they saw Harbaugh as untouchable.

“If there’s anyone that’s a Raven through and through, it was him,” a player said.

Several players, including running back Derrick Henry, had expressed their support for Harbaugh after the loss.

“I love coach Harbaugh,” Henry said. “I would love to see him at this organization. As far as those decisions, that’s out of my pay grade.”

Left tackle Ronnie Stanley also said the decision went higher up.

“My job is to lead my O-line, lead the offense, lead the guys that are in the locker room — that’s what I try to keep my focus on, and I try to keep it simple," Stanley said. “I love Harbs and everything he has done for the team, and whatever they handle — that’s their business.”

However, two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson had a much more vague response, using the loss to avoid the question.

“You’re asking me about next year. I’m so caught up in what just happened tonight,” Jackson said. “I can’t focus on that right now, I just told you. Like he asked me, ‘Are you stunned?’ I’m stunned right now, and I’m still trying to process what’s going on. I know we lost, but what the ... you know?”

Jackson denied rumors of a rift between him and Harbaugh in the days leading up to the game with the Steelers.

“Yes, I believe so,” he said when asked if he has a good relationship with Harbaugh. “Like I said, I don’t know where the noise came from. I don’t know where the noise came from.”

The son of a longtime college coach, Harbaugh often came across as strict and paternal — especially early in his career. But he famously received pushback from Ravens legends Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, who urged him to give players more freedom.

After Tuesday’s firing, one player called Harbaugh a “players-first” coach. Another who said he did not always agree with Harbaugh’s approach said players were nervous about the potential for wholesale change; a new coach is almost certain to turn over most of the staff.

“Change is going to take adjusting to,” the player said. “You never know how it’s going to go because you don’t know how the team will react.”