Mike Tomlin Got Brutally Honest About Ravens Firing John Harbaugh

Kristen Wong | Jan 7, 2026

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin made his first comments on the Ravens firing John Harbaugh after the 2025 season. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Mike Tomlin's years-long rivalry with John Harbaugh was as epic as it was historic, with the AFC North duo battling it out a total of 40 times as the two longest-tenured active coaches in the NFL—that is, until Harbaugh was let go by the Ravens this week.

Harbaugh's exit from Baltimore was by far the biggest surprise of the NFL coaching cycle so far, though it arguably wasn't without reasonable cause. The Ravens had just lost their playoff spot to the Steelers following Week 18's season-ending defeat and were looking back at yet another lost campaign in Lamar Jackson's prime.

Tomlin, the coach who sent the Ravens packing in their season finale, was asked for his candid thoughts on Harbaugh's firing a day after the news broke. He started off by sending Harbaugh a classy message in honor of their legendary AFC North rivalry:

"First I just have so much respect for Harbs," Tomlin said on the Rich Eisen Show. "Our stories will forever be interwoven, this rivalry we've been fortunate and honored to be a part of, I just got so much respect for him and how he's gone about his business. We've certainly had some legendary battles over the years.

ALBERT BREER: John Harbaugh’s Specialty Will Help Him Wherever He Lands

The Steelers' coach added he was confident that Harbaugh would find success in his next coaching gig, if he wanted to coach again, before launching into mini-spiel on the impatient "culture" of the NFL.

"In terms of him being let go, unfortunately I just think it's a component of today's sports culture. ... More than anything I just think it's a larger example of today's sports culture in terms of not a lot of patience in the entertainment component of what it is that we do. There's just not a lot of longevity. I'm sure we all would like to be Don Shula and Tom Landry but I think those days are gone."

BREAKING: Tomlin offers up 1st public comments on John Harbaugh firing. He tells Rich Eisen that this is a symptom of today’s sports culture. There’s no patience anymore. I have no clue what Tomlin is talking about. Harbaugh was there for 18 years! pic.twitter.com/s3o8MXPX4X

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) January 7, 2026

Tomlin's comment on the lack of "longevity" may give some Ravens fans pause given that Harbaugh was at the helm for a whopping 18 years, sitting just behind Tomlin (19) as the second-longest active NFL coach. Harbaugh racked up 193 wins in his head coaching career in Baltimore, including one Super Bowl title in 2012, and the Ravens finished with a losing record just three times during his tenure.

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But as fate would have it, the Ravens' 8-9 campaign in 2025 ended up burying Harbaugh in an ousting decision that reportedly wasn't mutual. NFL's Ian Rapoport claimed the longtime coach had lost Lamar Jackson and the locker room this past season, and Baltimore apparently decided now was the time to move on.

Still, Tomlin will still always savor the memories with his longtime friend and foe.

"I remember one time sitting and talking about what our kids were for Halloween. And them damn kids now grown," Tomlin said to Harbaugh during one Ravens-Steelers matchup back in 2023. "That's the perspective."

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