The Baltimore Ravens have extremely competitive for almost every season in franchise history. Ever since head John Harbaugh took over in 2008, the team has seen plenty of success both in the regular season and in the playoffs.
When ranking each active head coach in the NFL heading into the 2021 season, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports ranked Harbaugh as the No. 3 coach in the league. When explaining his decision, he looked at his previous success as well as his adaptability.
“Critics may compare him to his current star QB, Lamar Jackson: Undeniably good, but can he win it all? Let’s not forget Harbaugh already has. No, he hasn’t returned to an AFC title game since 2012, but his team has also gotten incrementally better since Jackson entered the picture. Few coaches are as reliable and so willing to adapt their approach. Another ring is certainly within reach.”
In his 13 years as Baltimore’s head coach, Harbaugh has accumulated an extremely solid 129-79 (.620) record in the regular season as well as an quality 11-8 (.579) record in the postseason to go along with a Super Bowl win. He has also changed with the game, not staying hard headed to what worked for him in the past, but adapting to how football has evolved over the years.
The only two coaches to be ranked ahead of Harbaugh were New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick at No. 2 and Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid at No. 1. That’s great company to be in, and there’s no doubt that Harbaugh has established himself as one of the best in the business at what he does.