John Harbaugh is bidding farewell to the Ravens after 18 seasons in Baltimore.
As Harbaugh heads to East Rutherford where he take the helm with the Giants, he issues a letter saying goodbye to Ravens fans.
“When [wife] Ingrid, [daughter] Alison and I arrived in Baltimore, we knew that we were joining a football organization,”Harbaugh wrote in a full-page advertisement in Saturday’s edition of the Baltimore Sun. “What we couldn’t have fully known then was that we were becoming part of a city, a culture and a community that is bonded together by a shared sense of strength and unity.”
Harbaugh, 63, has a 180-113 regular season record and is 13-11 in the postseason. His 180 wins rank 14th all-time, and his 13 playoff wins are tied for seventh.
“Most of all, to the people of Baltimore: Thank you for embracing my family and for allowing us to grow alongside you. This city’s grit, resilience and authenticity are unmatched. The pride you take in your team reflects the pride you take in one another. That is something truly special. Football can be about wins and losses, but what lasts are the relationships, the shared moments and the bond between a team and its city. Those memories will echo forever.”
Harbaugh, who spent nearly two decades with the Ravens and won a Super Bowl in 2012, was the Giants’ No. 1 option throughout this latest coaching search. Now, he’ll try to turn things around for New York after a 4-13 season. He’ll be the fifth coach in New York since Tom Coughlin’s unceremonious departure in 2016.