John Harbaugh

Harbaugh was born into a prominent American football family. His father, Jack Harbaugh, spent over four decades coaching college football, serving as head coach at Western Michigan and Western Kentucky. His younger brother, Jim Harbaugh, played quarterback in the NFL before becoming head coach of Stanford, the San Francisco 49ers, Michigan, and the Los Angeles Chargers. John and Jim became the first pair of brothers in NFL history to serve as head coaches simultaneously. Their sister, Joani, is married to college basketball coach Tom Crean.

Harbaugh attended Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, competing in football, basketball, and track. He played college football as a defensive back at Miami University in Ohio, graduating in 1984 with a degree in political science, and was college roommates with future professional wrestler Brian Pillman. Miami later inducted him into its Cradle of Coaches and honored him with a campus statue. Harbaugh is married to Ingrid Harbaugh, with whom he has a daughter, Alison, who played collegiate lacrosse at Notre Dame and South Florida.

Harbaugh entered coaching in 1984 as a graduate assistant and position coach under his father at Western Michigan, where he also earned a master's degree. He spent the next decade working through the collegiate ranks, coaching tight ends at Pittsburgh in 1987, defensive backs and special teams at Morehead State in 1988, and holding multiple coaching roles at Cincinnati from 1989 through 1996, eventually rising to assistant head coach. In 1997, he coached defensive backs and coordinated special teams at Indiana under Cam Cameron.

In 1998, Harbaugh transitioned to the NFL when head coach Ray Rhodes hired him as special teams coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. When Andy Reid took over as head coach in 1999, Harbaugh was one of only four assistants retained. Under his coordination, Philadelphia consistently ranked near the top of the league in special teams efficiency, producing three Pro Bowl selections for kicker David Akers. After nine seasons directing special teams, Harbaugh shifted to coach the Eagles' defensive backs in 2007 under defensive coordinator Jim Johnson to broaden his coaching portfolio for future head coaching opportunities.

The Baltimore Ravens hired Harbaugh as their head coach on January 19, 2008. In his debut season, he led Baltimore to an 11-5 record and a trip to the AFC Championship Game. He guided the Ravens to postseason appearances in each of his first five seasons, becoming the only head coach in NFL history to win at least one playoff game in each of his first five years.

During the 2012 season, Harbaugh led Baltimore to a 10-6 record and an AFC North title. In the postseason, the Ravens defeated the Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, and New England Patriots to reach Super Bowl XLVII. The matchup, dubbed the "Harbowl," pitted John against his brother Jim's San Francisco 49ers. The Ravens won 34-31, earning the second Super Bowl championship in franchise history. Following the victory, Harbaugh presented replica Lombardi trophies to his entire coaching and support staff.

In 2018, Harbaugh transitioned Baltimore's offense around rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson, capturing the AFC North title with a 10-6 record. The following season, the Ravens achieved a franchise-record 14-2 mark, earned the AFC's top playoff seed, and led the league in scoring. Harbaugh received the 2019 AP NFL Coach of the Year Award for orchestrating the team's dominant regular season.

Harbaugh continued to guide Baltimore to division championships in 2023 and 2024, including another appearance in the AFC Championship Game following the 2023 campaign. After an 8-9 finish in 2025, the Ravens parted ways with Harbaugh on January 6, 2026. Over 18 seasons, he amassed 180 regular season victories and 13 playoff wins, finishing as the winningest head coach in Ravens history and holding the NFL record for most road playoff wins with eight.

Following his departure from Baltimore, Harbaugh drew interest from multiple NFL teams seeking a head coach. On January 20, 2026, the New York Giants announced Harbaugh as the 21st head coach in franchise history on a five-year contract. In his introductory press conference, it was established that he would report directly to team ownership.