John Harbaugh facts for kids
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Harbaugh in 2022
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| Baltimore Ravens | |
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| Position: | Head coach |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | September 23, 1962 Toledo, Ohio, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Pioneer (Ann Arbor, Michigan) |
| College: | Miami (OH) |
| Career history | |
| As coach: | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season: | 172–104 (.623) |
| Postseason: | 13–11 (.542) |
| Career: | 185–115 (.617) |
| Coaching stats at PFR | |
John William Harbaugh (born September 23, 1962) is a famous American football coach. He is currently the head coach for the Baltimore Ravens team in the National Football League (NFL). Before this, he coached defensive players and special teams for the Philadelphia Eagles.
John Harbaugh and his younger brother, Jim Harbaugh, are the first brothers in NFL history to both be head coaches. Their father, Jack Harbaugh, was also a football coach for 45 years. A cool fact is that John's Ravens team beat Jim's San Francisco 49ers team in Super Bowl XLVII on February 3, 2013. The score was 34–31!
Since becoming the Ravens' head coach in 2008, John Harbaugh has led the team to many victories. He has more wins than any other head coach in the Baltimore Ravens' history. He has guided the Ravens to twelve winning seasons and only two losing seasons. He's also the only NFL head coach to win a playoff game in six of his first seven seasons. Plus, he holds the record for the most road playoff wins (8). Besides winning the Super Bowl, he has led the Ravens to six division championships and four AFC Championship games. In 2019, his team had an amazing 14–2 record.
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Early Life and College
John Harbaugh was born in Toledo, Ohio. He grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and went to Pioneer High School there. His father, Jack, was a coach at the nearby University of Michigan at the time.
John went to Miami University for college. He played varsity football as a defensive back. He graduated from Miami University in 1984.
Coaching Journey
Starting in College Football
John Harbaugh began his coaching career in college football. He worked as an assistant coach at several universities. These included Western Michigan (1984–1987), Pitt (1987), Morehead State (1988), Cincinnati (1989–1996), and Indiana (1997).
Coaching with the Philadelphia Eagles
In 1998, John Harbaugh got his first job in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles. He started as the special teams coach. Special teams are groups of players who handle kickoffs, punts, and field goals. He stayed in this role for nine years.
In 2007, he asked to change his role. He became the Eagles' defensive backs coach. This change was important because it helped him show he could coach different parts of the team. This made him a stronger candidate for a head coaching job.
Leading the Baltimore Ravens
On January 19, 2008, John Harbaugh became the third head coach for the Baltimore Ravens. Many people were surprised because he had never been a head coach or a main offensive or defensive coach before. But he really impressed the team's owner and general manager. Even New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick recommended him!
In his very first season (2008), Harbaugh led the Ravens to an 11–5 record. They made it to the playoffs and won two games. They eventually lost in the AFC Championship Game.
In his second season (2009), the Ravens again made the playoffs. They upset the New England Patriots in the Wild Card Round. In 2010, they had a 12–4 record and won another playoff game.
In 2011, Harbaugh signed a contract extension. That year, his Ravens team played against his brother Jim's San Francisco 49ers on Thanksgiving Day. John's team won 16–6. The Ravens finished the 2011 season with a 12–4 record. They won their division, the AFC North. They made it to the AFC Championship but lost a very close game.
The 2012 season was a huge success for the Ravens. They finished with a 10–6 record and won the AFC North. They won two tough playoff games. Then, they beat the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. This set up a special game: Super Bowl XLVII against his brother Jim's 49ers. People called it the "Harbowl." The Ravens won the Super Bowl 34–31! After the win, John gave his entire coaching staff replica Super Bowl trophies.
In 2013, John Harbaugh was honored by Miami University. He was inducted into their "Cradle of Coaches." This award recognizes successful coaches who played or coached at the university.
The Ravens missed the playoffs in 2013 and 2015. In 2014, they made it to the playoffs again. They beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round. This was their first playoff win against the Steelers. However, they lost the next game to the New England Patriots.
In 2018, Harbaugh led the Ravens to a 10–6 record. They won the AFC North division. This season saw the rise of Lamar Jackson as the team's quarterback. They lost in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
In 2019, Harbaugh had an amazing season. The Ravens finished with a 14–2 record, which was the best in their conference. He was named the AP NFL Coach of the Year. However, they lost in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
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In 2020, the Ravens made the playoffs again. They won their first playoff game since 2014. This win also broke the NFL record for most road playoff games won. They lost in the Divisional Round.
The 2021 season was tough due to many injuries. The Ravens started strong but ended with a losing record. This was only Harbaugh's second losing season with the team.
In 2022, Harbaugh signed another contract extension. He continued to lead the Ravens to the playoffs. In 2023 and 2024, the Ravens won the AFC North division titles. They made deep playoff runs, reaching the AFC Championship in 2023.
Head Coaching Record
This table shows John Harbaugh's record as a head coach. It includes regular season and playoff games.
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| BAL | 2008 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 2nd in AFC North | 2 | 1 | .667 | Lost to Pittsburgh Steelers in AFC Championship Game |
| BAL | 2009 | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 2nd in AFC North | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Indianapolis Colts in AFC Divisional Game |
| BAL | 2010 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 2nd in AFC North | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Pittsburgh Steelers in AFC Divisional Game |
| BAL | 2011 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1st in AFC North | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to New England Patriots in AFC Championship Game |
| BAL | 2012 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 1st in AFC North | 4 | 0 | 1.000 | Super Bowl XLVII champions |
| BAL | 2013 | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3rd in AFC North | — | — | — | — |
| BAL | 2014 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3rd in AFC North | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to New England Patriots in AFC Divisional Game |
| BAL | 2015 | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 3rd in AFC North | — | — | — | — |
| BAL | 2016 | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2nd in AFC North | — | — | — | — |
| BAL | 2017 | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 2nd in AFC North | — | — | — | — |
| BAL | 2018 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 1st in AFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Los Angeles Chargers in AFC Wild Card Game |
| BAL | 2019 | 14 | 2 | 0 | .875 | 1st in AFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Tennessee Titans in AFC Divisional Game |
| BAL | 2020 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 2nd in AFC North | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Buffalo Bills in AFC Divisional Game |
| BAL | 2021 | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 4th in AFC North | — | — | — | — |
| BAL | 2022 | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 2nd in AFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Cincinnati Bengals in AFC Wild Card Game |
| BAL | 2023 | 13 | 4 | 0 | .765 | 1st in AFC North | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Kansas City Chiefs in AFC Championship Game |
| BAL | 2024 | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 1st in AFC North | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Buffalo Bills in AFC Divisional Game |
| Total | 172 | 104 | 0 | .623 | 13 | 11 | .542 | |||
Coaching Connections
John Harbaugh has worked for several head coaches during his career. These include his father, Jack Harbaugh, and famous coaches like Andy Reid.
Many coaches who worked for John Harbaugh have gone on to become head coaches themselves. This shows how good he is at developing talent. Some of these coaches include:
- Rex Ryan (New York Jets, Buffalo Bills)
- Hue Jackson (Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns)
- Chuck Pagano (Indianapolis Colts)
- Jim Caldwell (Detroit Lions)
- Mike Macdonald (Seattle Seahawks)
Personal Life
John Harbaugh is Roman Catholic. He is married to Ingrid Harbaugh. They have one daughter named Alison. Alison played lacrosse for the University of Notre Dame.
As mentioned, John's younger brother, Jim Harbaugh, is also a well-known football coach. He is currently the head coach for the Los Angeles Chargers. Their father, Jack Harbaugh, coached at Western Michigan University and Western Kentucky University. John's sister, Joani, is married to Tom Crean, a college basketball coach.
