John Harbaugh Refused to Let Ravens OC Go

Most Baltimore Ravens fans are still trying to process the news that head coach John Harbaugh was fired after 18 years with the organization.

Harbaugh had quite the run as the Ravens' head coach, winning 180 games, coaching in 24 playoff games, and winning a Super Bowl. That's the resume any head coach would want, so why did it happen?

NFL insider Dianna Russini was told by sources close to the situation that the key point to it was Harbaugh refusing to fire offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Many others have reported that the day-long conversation between John Harbaugh and owner Steve Bisciotti was going well, and some thought Harbaugh would be back. Still, Russini's report seems to be a coaching change, with a difference.

Harbaugh's refusal to move on from Monken might have reportedly cost him his job

Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

There have been a lot of questions over the last few days about what was going to happen with the coaching staff, with some questioning whether defensive coordinator Zach Orr and/or Monken would lose their jobs. It all stemmed from the inconsistent play from both sides of the ball throughout the season.

The Ravens' offense suffered the moment quarterback Lamar Jackson injured his hamstring in the Kansas City Chiefs game and never recovered. Jackson played inconsistently, and the rushing game really didn't get going until the second half of the season with Derrick Henry.

Monken and Harbaugh were called into question with some key decisions made at the end of the season as well. One major one was the loss to the New England Patriots when Henry was left on the sidelines for the last two drives of the game, even with an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Orr's defense got a lot of criticism at the beginning of the season, but found some rhythm with them arguably carrying the team while the offense was trying to figure itself out with Jackson returning from injury. The defense fell apart in the last few games of the season, especially in the fourth quarter of the Week 18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, allowing two touchdowns on the final two drives.

This is just a report so that it could be completely different, but if it turns out to be the case, Harbaugh defending his guy will have fans split on whether he was right or not. Monken was already halfway out the door, being considered for head coaching jobs, and might have gotten an offensive coordinator job elsewhere.

For the moment, the coaching staff appears to be in full teardown mode, moving on from Harbaugh after 18 incredible seasons.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!