Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh will enter his 18th season leading the franchise, which holds the AFC North title as of 2025. His spot is solidified, there will be no roster cut (sarcasm) that eliminates his leadership before the season, and Ravens’ fans still have complete faith in his ability to push the team over the hump. The question remains, however, when will his faith bear fruit?
Harbaugh and the Ravens finished 12-5 in 2024, ending the season in a gut-wrenching 25-27 postseason loss to the Buffalo Bills. Harbaugh was there, watching his team turnover the ball three times, squander countless opportunities to control the game, and painfully see tight end Mark Andrews drop the 2-point conversion that would have saved the Ravens’ season.
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In 2025, Harbaugh will be required to amalgamate a team roster loaded with talent and personality. New signees in wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and defensive back Jaire Alexander feature as two new voices in the team locker room, with a history of leadership in their previous franchises. Harbaugh must balance the ideals of his superstar roster and adjust from his prior pattern of letting things unfold.
Harbaugh’s resilience has been evident for the team. Still, his calm demeanor has often led to a lack of constraint among his staff, particularly offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who has been criticized for deviating from the schedule in his play-calling. Harbaugh must be the final arbiter every time this season and stop letting his faith get in the way of his practicality and intuition. Harbaugh knows best, and now it’s time for him to do what’s best with one of the most brilliant team rosters he’s had in his head coaching career. After all, nobody has it better than us anyway.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: John Harbaugh is walking by faith and not by sight