Some missed field goals have bigger consequences than others.
For the Ravens, the 44-yard attempt from rookie kicker Tyler Loop that sailed wide at the conclusion of Sunday night’s game against the Steelers ended the season — and it ended the 18-year tenure of head coach John Harbaugh.
Whatever the label (some say fired, some say “parted ways”), Harbaugh is moving on.
He arrived in 2008, getting the job after more than a decade as a special-teams coordinator. A year as the defensive backs coach under Andy Reid in Philadelphia opened the door for a head-coaching opportunity. And Harbaugh ran through it.
His teams consistently contended, making it to the playoffs in 12 of his 18 seasons. The Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII, with the push fueled by a gutsy late-season offensive coordinator change from Cam Cameron to Jim Caldwell.
Harbaugh exits Baltimore with a regular-season record of 180–113, a 61.4-percent success rate. He was 13-11 in the postseason.
More recently, the Ravens have failed to fulfill their potential. Since quarterback Lamar Jackson emerged as an MVP-level performer, the Ravens have made it to the AFC Championship only once. This year, a 1-5 start made it very hard to dig out, with plenty of losses punctuated by blown double-digit leads. (They led the Steelers on Sunday, 10-0.)
Currently, Harbaugh is 14th all time in regular-season wins. And he’ll instantly become a top candidate for one of the existing vacancies.
Indeed, some teams that have yet to make a move may consider making a change if it means having a viable shot at upgrading to Harbaugh.
Regardless, he’ll have options elsewhere. After 18 years, it was time for a change, for both sides.