Ravens Reportedly Fired John Harbaugh After He Lost Lamar Jackson, Locker Room

The relationship between coach and quarterback seems to have soured this season.

Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh's relationship reportedly soured during a rocky 2025. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The relationship between former Ravens coach John Harbaugh and quarterback Lamar Jackson helped rejuvenate the former's career and turn the latter into a superstar—but in 2025, it may have become Harbaugh's undoing.

Baltimore fired Harbaugh Tuesday in part because it believed the veteran coach lost the locker room, according to a Tuesday evening report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Per Rapoport, the locker room included Jackson—for whom Harbaugh is the only NFL coach he's ever known.

"It is not just 'they didn't go far enough in the playoffs,'" Rapoport said. "My understanding after talking to several sources involved is that simply, Harbaugh lost the locker room."

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The Ravens missed the postseason this year for the first time since 2021, going 8-9. It marked just their sixth playoff miss in Harbaugh's 18 seasons. Jackson, the winner of two MVP awards, has yet to play for a Super Bowl as part of a generation of gifted AFC quarterbacks roadblocked by star Chiefs signal-caller Patrick Mahomes.

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"It started, it sounded like to me, with Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson not being on the same page," Rapoport said. "It continued throughout the locker room—maybe not 100%, but more than enough for the Baltimore Ravens."

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