John Harbaugh Ranked As Fourth-Best Coach in NFL

John Harbaugh has created a winning culture as head coach of the Ravenns.

He has led his team to a playoff berth in nine (2008-12, 2014 and 2018-20) of his 13 seasons, and in 2012, captured the franchise’s second Super Bowl title.

Harbaugh was recently ranked the fourth-best coach in the NFL by Sports Illustrated behind top-rated Bill Belichick (New England Patriots), Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs) and Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers.

Connor Orr writes:

4. John Harbaugh, Ravens
Trending: Upward
Staff strength: 9

There is a theme you’ll notice on this list: coaches who are willing to be flexible and the resulting success. Harbaugh has defined flexibility for the modern NFL coach. In 2017 he was on the verge of losing his job, and now Baltimore is seen as a franchise on the NFL’s cutting edge. The presence of Lamar Jackson aside, Harbaugh leads a team that is responsibly married to its analytics department and is one of the few organizations that often finds itself a step ahead of the league’s middle class. This is what happens when you hire a true CEO and don’t grasp at an offensive wunderkind that you hope will develop into a leader. Harbaugh’s ability to manage some difficult roster transitions, beyond the era of Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs and into the Lamar Jackson era, has been instructive. The Ravens took a broad look at how the league was operating and came as close as any NFL team to truly recreating football’s version of Moneyball by capitalizing on an athletic quarterback with mobility and a stockpile of talented tight ends and running backs, all traditionally undervalued assets.

Harbaugh's other accomplishments include:

Owns the most road playoff wins (eight) by a head coach in NFL history. Tom Landry (Dal.) and Tom Coughlin (Jax./NYG) are second with seven each.

Under Harbaugh, Baltimore is one of four teams (New England, Green Bay and Seattle.) to earn a playoff berth in nine of the past 13 seasons. Baltimore is also one of four teams (KC, Sea. & NO) to make the playoffs in each of the past three seasons (2018-2020).

In 2019, the Ravens posted a franchise-best 14-2 record. Baltimore won a team-record 12-straight games to close out the regular season, earning its first-ever No. 1 playoff seed.

Harbaugh has led the Ravens to four AFC North Division titles (2011-12, 2018-19).

The Ravens’ 11 playoff wins since 2008 tie (GB) for the second-most in the NFL (New England - 16).

Under Harbaugh, the Ravens have secured an appearance in three AFC Championship games (2008, 2011 & 2012).

He is the only head coach in NFL history to win a playoff game in each of his first four and five seasons.