Ravens Players React to John Harbaugh's 'Surprising' Exit

Brigid Kennedy | Jan 7, 2026

Harbaugh was the coach of the Ravens for 18 seasons. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In the aftermath of the Ravens' shock firing of longtime head coach John Harbaugh, you might be wondering how exactly the players are feeling about it all. Is it true that Harbaugh lost the locker room, or are his former players reeling from a decision they were not expecting—something that fundamentally changes their plans for next fall?

Well, we don't know a ton on that front, unfortunately. But there are some hints floating around.

For starters, Baltimore corner Marlon Humphrey shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) not long after news of the firing was made official: "John Harbaugh. A good man," he wrote.

So seems like Humphrey has some sympathy for his now-unemployed coach, who will certainly find a new gig with a new team soon.

John Harbaugh. A good man.

— marlonhumphrey.eth (@marlon_humphrey) January 7, 2026

More illuminating, however, are the Baltimore Banner's interviews with players, published Tuesday evening. Those who spoke with the outlet unsurprisingly asked to remain anonymous, but their comments nonetheless offer a small window into the psyche of the group at this somewhat unexpected fork in the road.

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

“If there’s anyone that’s a Raven through and through, it was [Harbaugh],” added another.

One, who emphasized that he did not always agree with Harbaugh, noted that players were nervous about the possibility of many changes to come.

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

Those who spoke with the Banner described the move as "shocking" and "surprising," and said that, while they expected something to give, they believed either OC Todd Monken, DC Zach Orr, or both would get the boot—not Harbaugh. The players also said they found out about the firing before the Ravens officially called a meeting, meaning they heard via social media or texts from loved ones.

In addition to reports surrounding the attitude of the locker room, Harbaugh's alleged "refusal" to entertain the idea of getting rid of Monken also played a part in the coach's dismissal, according to The Athletic's Dianna Russini.

So far, a total of seven head coaches have been fired from the start of the 2025 season to now. And although his last Ravens' campaign didn't go as planned, Harbaugh is expected to be a coveted candidate in the coming weeks given his Super Bowl-winning experience and tenure.

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