Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald comments on Ravens' surprise firing of John Harbaugh

The Baltimore Ravens immediately gifted other head coach-needy teams their top candidate when they fired John Harbaugh on Jan. 6.

Harbaugh, who was hired by the Ravens in 2008, was the second-longest tenured head coach in the NFL behind only Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin (hired in 2007). He won't be unemployed for long, either.

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald worked under Harbaugh from 2014-20, and again from 2022-23 when he became the team's defensive coordinator. The Seahawks hired him away from Baltimore in 2024, and he led Seattle to a 14-3 record and the No. 1 seed in the NFC this season.

"I love John Harbaugh," Macdonald said of Harbaugh's firing in an interview with 93.3 KJR FM, per The Tacoma News Tribune's Gregg Bell. "He’s a mentor. He’s a lifetime friend ... It’s a little bit of a Twilight Zone. To me, John Harbaugh IS the Baltimore Ravens."

Dec 27, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh reacts to a play during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Baltimore's defense hasn't been the same since Macdonald left. In 2023, the Ravens led the league by allowing just 16.5 points per game and were tied for an NFL-high 31 takeaways. They had 20 takeaways this season (15th) and gave up 23.4 points per game (18th).

Meanwhile, the Seahawks took the top spot in scoring defense, giving up just 17.2 points per game this season (1st). They also finished sixth in takeaways (25).

Still, it's surprising to see Harbaugh let go after a down season after he just signed a three-year contract extension in March 2025. The Ravens finished 8-9 this season but have had winning seasons in seven of the previous eight years, including a trip to the AFC Championship in 2023.

Baltimore began the season 1-5 before finishing 7-4 over its final 11 games. That was an encouraging finish despite quarterback Lamar Jackson missing four games during the season.

Regardless, with Harbaugh out, you have to wonder how the Ravens feel about Macdonald leaving just two seasons ago. With how quickly he's turned the Seahawks around, he could've been the answer the Ravens were looking for.

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