John Harbaugh Fallout: Ravens, Monken, Timing, Jackson, Kingsbury
The Ravens’ decision to fire John Harbaugh on Tuesday might be this offseason’s biggest move. The ramifications are already spreading around the NFL, and no team has more to handle than the Ravens themselves. This offseason was already a crucial one for Baltimore, as Lamar Jackson is due for another round of extension negotiations in the coming months.
The two-time MVP already has considerable sway inside the organization, and the leverage from his contract talks only boosts his current influence. That factored into this process, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. While Jackson did not necessarily engineer Harbaugh’s ouster, there still may have been some friction between the veteran quarterback and Baltimore’s coaching staff. The team has long been frustrated with Jackson’s offseason practice habits, and routinely skipping Wednesdays this season to rest and recover from a myriad of injuries may have re-raised the issue.
While Harbaugh and Jackson were still believed to have a good relationship, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Ravens seem to be looking for a better fit with their franchise quarterback. According to Rapoport, the team is looking for someone who can “reach,” “invigorate,” and get the “absolute most” out of Jackson. The Ravens were believed to have pushed Harbaugh to fire OC Todd Monken. The HC’s refusal contributed to his own exit.
Here is the latest from this firing:
- Harbaugh himself felt unappreciated in his final years in Baltimore and seems ready for a new challenge, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. That aligns with his exploration of other jobs around the league, particularly those like the Giants’ with a young quarterback and a desire to rebuild.
- A number of teams are already interested in Harbaugh, including a few that still have head coaches under contract. Those teams will need to carefully weigh their chances of hiring the ex-Ravens leader. They are unlikely to axe their current coaches unless they are confident they can land Harbaugh, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Teams are permitted to reach out to Harbaugh as a coaching free agent.
- Though Harbaugh’s removal seems to be the culmination of several things in Baltimore, the timing still took team and coach by surprise, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Those in the building seemed to expect Harbaugh to go along with firing Monken but his refusal to do so precipitated his firing. As of Tuesday afternoon, a view in the building pointed to Harbaugh staying, Hensley adds. The firing coming soon after will bring sweeping changes for an organization that has exuded stability for many years.
- The Ravens are expected to have a “complete makeover, especially on offense,” according to Hensley. Jackson’s input on the direction of the unit will likely play a factor.
- One route the team could go down is hiring Kliff Kingsbury, who recently parted ways with the Commanders. The offensive guru has found success with mobile quarterbacks like Kyler Murray and Jayden Daniels, and Jackson would no doubt be an interesting move considering Jackson’s status as maybe the greatest running quarterback in NFL history. Baltimore has already been mentioned as a landing spot for Kingsbury, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and The Washington Post’s Mark Maske. The Commanders moved on from Kingsbury after a report indicated friction between he and GM Adam Peters, among disagreements between the front office and the coaching staff, took place this season.
Ravens Expected To Keep Lamar Jackson; John Harbaugh Future Uncertain?
Recent local and national media coverage of the Ravens has revived the idea that Lamar Jackson could be on his way out of Baltimore this offseason.
Obviously, it makes no sense for an NFL team to move on from a two-time MVP quarterback, and the Ravens are not expected to make such a colossal mistake. Less certain is the future of head coach John Harbaugh, who has overseen an uneven year in Baltimore.
“That seems to be a situation right now that’s up in the air, where both sides will meet and discuss after the seasons what they want to do and what direction they want to go,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on Sunday. He believes Harbaugh’s job is “still leaning safe,” and does not expect an outright firing.
The same belief is held by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who said that both Harbaugh and Jackson are expected to remain in Baltimore for at least another year.
“I don’t expect a firing in any sense,” said Rapoport of Harbaugh, but noted that other staff changes could be on the way.
This kind of about Harbaugh’s job security is new, indicating that fans’ disappointment about this season is felt in equal measure inside the organization. It may not be enough for the Ravens to part ways with their longtime coach, but even having such discussions is a sign that pressure is building in Baltimore.
Ultimately, the decision will come down to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, who has long favored continuity and stability with his front office and coaching staff.
Though Harbaugh seems safe heading into Sunday night’s game in Pittsburgh, a loss could obviously change things. The Steelers would complete a season sweep of their rivals and take the divisional crown and a playoff spot. That would violate two of the Ravens’ core tenets: beat Pittsburgh, and make the playoffs. If Harbaugh can no longer achieve those goals, it may be time to move on.
Ravens ‘Very Optimistic’ That Lamar Jackson Plays In Week 18
JANUARY 1: Jackson said on Thursday that he will “100%” play in Pittsburgh on Sunday night. He will likely take the field with extra protection for his back.
DECEMBER 31: Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was a full participant in the team’s first practice of Week 18, an extremely encouraging sign for his availability for Sunday’s win-or-go-home matchup with the Steelers.
Jackson went down in Week 15 with a severe back contusion that held him out of practice last week. He was listed as doubtful and did not play on Saturday night against the Packers. Backup Tyler Huntley filled in and confidently commanded the offense to a 41-24 victory. Most of the credit goes to Derrick Henry, who finished with 36 carries for 216 yards and four touchdowns, but Huntley made plays whenever they needed to be made. He completed 80% of his passes, converted a number of key first downs through the air, and added 60 yards on eight rushing attempts.
Head coach John Harbaugh said that he was “very optimistic” about Jackson’s status, adding that the two-time MVP’s status improved throughout last week. He was seen at Wednesday’s practice wearing some kind of protective equipment, per Brian Wacker of The Baltimore Sun.
Obviously, Jackson taking the field would be a major boost for the Ravens offense. Though they can continue to lean on Henry, Jackson is undoubtedly a better passer than Huntley and his availability would open up the offense to its full complement of plays. The Ravens rushed for 217 yards in their first meeting with the Steelers a few weeks ago, so offensive coordinator Todd Monken should be motivated to stick with the run either way.
Huntley’s success against the Packers on Saturday and the Bears in Week 8 indicates that Baltimore’s offense would still be in good hands if Jackson cannot go. That would be Jackson’s fourth absence of the season and Huntley’s third start.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Unlikely To Play Vs. Packers
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is not expected to play in Baltimore’s Week 17 matchup against the Packers. He is officially listed as doubtful on the team’s injury report.
Jackson went down in Sunday night’s loss to the Patriots after taking a knee to the back late in the first half. He did not return to the game, and head coach John Harbaugh has since described the injury as a “serious back contusion.”
Jackson was initially considered day-to-day, but he could not practice at all this week. Harbaugh said that Jackson could play without practicing, which is why he is designated as doubtful instead of being ruled out.
Backup Tyler Huntley will make his second start of the season in Jackson’s stead. He started in Week 8 against the Bears and led the Ravens to a 30-16 victory over the Bears. That game has looked more and more impressive in hindsight with Chicago’s growing success this season. Huntley himself performed well, as he did in relief of Cooper Rush in Week 6 and Jackson against the Patriots. In fact, many wondered why the Ravens signed Rush and installed him as the backup in the first place rather than reuniting with Huntley earlier in the offseason.
The Ravens’ playoff hopes depend on winning in Green Bay on Saturday night. A loss would eliminate them from playoff contention, and Jackson’s absence is obviously a major detriment.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Suffers Back Injury
The Ravens’ playoff hopes were dealt a massive blow on Sunday. The team’s loss – along with a win by the Steelers – leaves Baltimore in a must-win situation for Week 17. 
It is unclear if the team’s starting quarterback will be available for that game, however. Lamar Jackson exited yesterday’s contest late in the second quarter due to a back injury and he did not return. Head coach John Harbaugh described the ailment as “a bruise of some kind.” He added (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley) it is unclear at this point if Jackson will miss Baltimore’s next game.
The two-time MVP made it clear when speaking to the media that his goal is to suit up against Green Bay on Saturday. Jackson said (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic) he is set to undergo a CT scan today. The results of further testing will go a long way in determining whether or not another missed contest will be in store in this case. Jackson missed three full games earlier in the season, one which has been marred by several injuries.
Since returning to the lineup upon recovering from a hamstring ailment, Jackson has dealt with knee, ankle and toe injuries over an extended period. The 28-year-old has sat out practice time every week since he came back into the fold, an indication of his health status even before last night’s latest injury. Jackson’s situation over the coming days will be worth monitoring closely.
Of course, the same is also true of Packers starter Jordan Love. A concussion knocked him out of Green Bay’s Week 16 loss, and Love remains in the protocol at this time. As a result, there is a possibility the upcoming matchup between the teams will feature backups Malik Willis and Tyler Huntley under center.
Huntley led the Ravens to a win earlier this season, and he came close to doing so again yesterday. Nevertheless, the Ravens’ preference would obviously be to have Jackson available on Saturday. A win against Green Bay followed by a Steelers loss the following day will be necessary for Baltimore to remain in playoff contention in Week 18. Whether or not the team’s starting QB will suit up remains to be seen.
Ravens Altering Lamar Jackson’s Weekly Prep After Injuries
After a four-week absence earlier in the year, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson came back to salvage a 1-5 start to the year, building momentum off of a Tyler Huntley win over the Bears to continue what would become a five-game win streak that brought them up to 6-5 and first place in the AFC North. Despite the team success, there have been questions about whether or not Jackson is back to full health, and a look at his practice participation may provide clues to the answers. 
It was a hamstring injury that held Jackson out for three games. He was able to get three practices in before his Thursday night return in Miami, and he got a full week of practices in for the trip to Minnesota right after. But, following the win over the Vikings, Jackson missed the team’s first practice of the week with a knee injury before fully participating for the rest of the week before the Cleveland game. Last week, we saw Jackson sit out on Wednesday, again, this time with an ankle injury, before, again, practicing fully leading up to the matchup against the Jets.
Early Sunday morning, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that, after doing this rest pattern over the past few weeks, Baltimore was considering intentionally resting Jackson every Wednesday, in order to keep him fresh for games. True to the reporting, with the Ravens having an altered practice schedule this week due to a Thanksgiving Day assignment, Jackson sat out of Monday’s practice, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, and returned to the field on Tuesday, mirroring the recently adopted routine. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, this absence was designated as a toe injury, after Jackson reportedly hurt the appendage at the start of the Jets game.
While Baltimore is calling it rest, reporters, opponents, and more are openly wondering if Jackson isn’t still actually dealing with something. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler was one such member of the media who speculated that, having played through knee, ankle, hamstring, and toe issues so far this year, Jackson’s performance has been limited since coming back.
In the four games Jackson’s played since returning from injury, he hasn’t rushed for more than 36 yards in a game. And after a strong passing performance at Miami (78.3 completion percentage, four touchdowns), he’s struggled to be efficient as a passer in the team’s last three victories, completing only 57.1 percent of his passes while only throwing one touchdown to two interceptions. It can’t quite be said that he doesn’t have the ability to escape from pass rushers or tuck the ball and break off a 15-yard run, because we’ve seen him do a bit of that recently, but he’s seemed to lack his trademark explosive speed making both his run and pass game suffer as a result. Jackson insists that injuries aren’t affected his play, but until he’s seen breaking off 40-yard scrambles, teams will likely have their doubts.
In other injury news for Baltimore, safety Ar’Darius Washington has started getting some pregame work in as he continues rehabilitation for his Achilles tendon. Zrebiec reports that Washington could see his practice window open soon. This would be big for a Ravens defense allowing the 12th-most passing yards in the NFL. Lining up next to All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton last year, the two helped turn a historically bad Ravens defense into a top performing unit. The Ravens traded for Alohi Gilman early this year, as rookie first-round pick Malaki Starks experienced a bit of a learning curve to start his career, and adding Washington back to the fold would give Baltimore an insanely deep four-man rotation at the backend of their secondary.
Ravens Fined For Lamar Jackson Injury Report Violation
The NFL has wrapped its investigation into the Ravens’ handling of Lamar Jackson‘s injury status last week. The team received a $100K fine for violating the league’s policy on injury reporting, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets.
Not docking the Ravens any draft picks or moving to suspend anyone, the league determined this violation stemmed from negligence on the team’s part rather than the AFC North club attempting to gain a competitive edge, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds. Had the NFL determined the Ravens were attempting to gain an advantage with their Jackson tactics, Pelissero adds a more significant penalty — including potential loss of picks — would have been levied.
The Ravens fully cooperated with the investigation, one centered around the team incorrectly listing Jackson’s Oct. 24 practice participation. As should be expected, the team will not appeal the fine.
Baltimore had listed Jackson as a full participant at practice Friday. The Ravens had planned a day of scout team reps for the mobile passer and saw him complete the workout with no issues. NFL regulations concerning injury reporting don’t allow this, though. If injury causes a player who would normally receive starting reps to practice with the scout team, they have to be listed as a limited participant at practice.
John Harbaugh labeled this an honest mistake, and the NFL investigation validated the longtime Ravens HC’s view of the matter. After notice from the league, Baltimore was forced to retroactively change Jackson’s practice participation, and the team announced Saturday that he would not play in Week 8’s game.
Entering their Bears matchup 1-5, the Ravens were able to win with Tyler Huntley starting in place of Jackson, whose practice report now lists three limited practices last week. That type of runup usually leads to a player suiting up for that week’s game — and a full workout Friday pointed to Jackson playing — but the Ravens ended up resting their QB ahead of their Thursday-night game in Miami. The NFL not ruling this a deliberate attempt to muddy the waters for the Bears will surely not go over well in Chicago, but Baltimore — which annually prioritizes compensatory picks — not being docked any late-round draft choices will bring a sigh of relief for that franchise.
This is not the first time a murky Jackson status has interfered with Ravens plans. The team had expected the superstar quarterback to return before the 2022 season ended, but he did not reappear that season after suffering a PCL sprain in Week 13. At that point, Jackson was unsigned for 2023. That added a wrinkle to the QB’s recovery saga. Now on a $52MM-per-year contract, Jackson has the Ravens back in the thick of an underhelming AFC North race. He threw four touchdown passes in Baltimore’s rout of Miami — a game that preceded the Dolphins separating from longtime GM Chris Grier — on Thursday.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Expected Back In Week 9
OCTOBER 29: Jackson himself confirmed on Tuesday that he was back to 100% and would start in Miami, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He was a full participant in the Ravens’ first two practices of the week and may not even have an injury designation for Thursday night’s matchup.
OCTOBER 26: Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Ravens expect that quarterback Lamar Jackson will make his return from injury in Week 9’s Thursday night trip to Miami, per Jay Glazer of FOX Sports. These reports come on the heels of a weekend of Jackson injury news that could land the franchise in a bit of hot water. 
Way back after Week 6 as the Ravens’ four-game losing streak brought them to 1-5, many assumed that Jackson (and several other injured Ravens) would be coming back after the team’s Week 7 bye. That proved mostly true, as Jackson’s “questionable” designation on the injury report was the only injury designation for any Baltimore player this week. Yet even that injury designation wasn’t exactly what it seemed.
The team had listed Jackson as a full participant at practice on Friday after planning a day of scout team reps for the mobile passer and seeing him complete the day with no issues. NFL regulations concerning injury reporting don’t allow this, though. If injury causes a player that would normally be getting starting reps to practice with the scout team, they have to be listed as a limited participant at practice. After notice from the league, Baltimore was forced to retroactively change Jackson’s practice participation, and the team announced that he would not play in Week 8’s game.
Perhaps, this was an honest mistake, as head coach John Harbaugh reiterated in comments to the media after today’s game, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Perhaps, it was a desperate attempt from a one-win team hoping to get any advantage possible by muddying the waters and keeping Chicago from knowing which quarterback it would be facing. After expressing hopes for two weeks that Jackson would return following their bye, it could certainly have been the latter, but that’s a matter for the NFL’s Management Council to determine.
Regardless, what makes this proclamation different from the ones for Week 8? According to Glazer, while Jackson may have been able to suit up for this weekend’s game, the Ravens were looking at a different benchmark. Because this weekend’s game will be so closely followed with an appearance on Thursday Night Football, Jackson needed to be at a place in which he would be fully confident playing two games in a five-day stretch. It was in the opinion of those involved that there was too high a risk of reinjury for him to play both games, so he was ruled out for Week 8 with an expectation to play back in his old digs in South Florida in Week 9.
With a short week providing fewer practices in which the team can gauge where Jackson is at, it will continue to be difficult to predict Jackson’s availability. Harbaugh certainly gave nothing away in today’s post-game press conference, merely telling reporters that “he’s hopeful that Lamar will play Thursday.”
The Ravens were able to pull off a win today with new backup quarterback Tyler Huntley. In his return to Baltimore, Huntley avoided turnovers, and the offense put up more points today (30) than they had in two games with Cooper Rush under center (13). This moves the team to 2-5 as they take the first of several steps necessary to make an improbable return to the playoffs. If Jackson can return in Miami Gardens, their chances for taking the next step will increase greatly.
NFL To Review Ravens’ Week 8 Injury Report
A hamstring injury has kept Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson out for three games, but he’s expected to return Thursday against the Dolphins. The team announced Jackson was a full participant in a walkthrough on Monday.
As it geared up for a Week 8 matchup with Chicago, Baltimore erred in announcing Jackson as a full participant in last Friday’s practice. Jackson was in attendance for the entire practice, but he only took snaps with the scout team.
According to the NFL’s injury policy, “Participation on the scout team, no matter how extensive, by a player whose normal repetitions would be with the starters but for his medical condition, would not alter the player’s proper designation as ‘Limited Participation.’”
The Ravens issued a correction Saturday, changing his practice status to limited while ruling him out for the game. Despite Jackson’s absence, the Ravens defeated the Bears behind backup signal-caller Tyler Huntley.
Although Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said the team made an “honest mistake” regarding Jackson’s injury designation last week (via Saad Yousuf of The Athletic), the NFL is now reviewing the matter, Mark Maske of the Washington Post relays.
“The league will look into this,” a league spokesperson said. “The league reviews any matter involving a change to a player’s status.”
The NFL’s investigation into the Ravens comes with the NBA embroiled in a gambling scandal since last Thursday. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to teams on Friday “regarding the gambling policy for league and team staffers,” according to Maske. Additionally, the NFL Management Council sent a memo to teams regarding the league’s gambling policy for players.
Regarding the NBA scandal, the NFL wrote in the memo (via Maske), “These developments underscore the risks that all sports are facing in the current environment and serve as a reminder of the need to adhere strictly to the NFL Gambling Policy.”
The change in Jackson’s status on Saturday did not reveal “any unusual betting activity,” Maske writes, though it did lead to a significant change in the spread. The Ravens opened as 6.5-point favorites. That figure immediately plummeted to 1.5 after they ruled the two-time MVP out.
With the NBA in the midst of a PR nightmare, it’s possible the NFL will come down hard on the Ravens. Forfeiture of draft picks, fines, and suspensions could all be on the table. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the NFL’s “Personnel (Injury) Report Policy” states that the commissioner “may deprive the offending club of a selection choice or choices, and/or may fine the offending club and/or may fine or suspend with or without pay any involved individuals as appropriate.”
Even if the NFL finds that the Ravens did just make an “honest mistake,” the team still violated league policy. Although it could be minor, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Ravens receive some sort of punishment as a result.
Lamar Jackson Out For Week 8; Ravens To Start Tyler Huntley
2:46pm: Part of the story of Jackson’s downgrade came as Baltimore changed the reporting of his practice participation from yesterday, changing the original “full practice” reporting to “limited practice.” Per Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports, the reason for the change was that Jackson only took scout team snaps at practice yesterday, getting no reps with the usual starters. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports provided the snippet from the NFL’s injury policy, which says, “participation on the scout team, no matter how extensive, by a player whose normal repetitions would be with the starters but for his medical condition, would not alter the player’s proper designation as ‘Limited Participation.'”
The NFL’s Management Council regularly investigates injury report disputes to ensure compliance with the policy, and though such investigations could take weeks, Baltimore could, at some point, be hit with a fine. Days after the largest sports gambling story in recent history hit the air waves, though, the league might think to make an example of the Ravens, if they find they can prove ill intent.
11:50am: Injured Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will miss Week 8 against the Bears, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Tyler Huntley, signed from the Ravens’ practice squad, will start. Jackson is expected to return in Week 9 in Miami.
While it was reported that Jackson was a full participant in practice on Friday, that was not the case. The Ravens announced that the two-time MVP remained limited with a hamstring injury. He’ll now miss his third straight game, an unwelcome development as Baltimore returns from its bye.
Off to a stunning 1-5 start after entering the season as Super Bowl hopefuls, the Ravens are 0-2 without Jackson. With Jackson unavailable, the Ravens initially turned to ex-Cowboy Cooper Rush as their starter. That couldn’t have gone worse. The Texans and Rams outscored the Ravens 61-13 in a pair of lopsided defeats. While Rush was a capable backup in Dallas, he went 25 for 39 for 251 yards, no touchdowns, and four interceptions in his first two starts as a Raven.
With Rush struggling mightily, the Ravens pulled him in favor of Huntley in the Rams game. Huntley finished the day 10 of 15 for 68 yards. Unlike Rush, Huntley can hurt defenses with his legs. He added 39 yards on three rushing attempts last week.
Huntley spent the first four years of his career in Baltimore before a regular-season stint with the Dolphins in 2024. He made nine starts for the Ravens from 2021-23. The team went 3-6 in those games, though Huntley’s 2-2 mark while filling in for Jackson in 2022 helped the Ravens earn a playoff berth.
As the Ravens try to keep their fading playoff hopes alive this year, they’ll need a strong performance out of Huntley against the 4-2 Bears. Regardless of whether the Ravens pull off a victory on Sunday, they’ll get Jackson back with a favorable schedule over the next several weeks. They’re set to face five straight sub-.500 opponents after Chicago, including the winless Jets in Week 12.