Total Pro Sports
A new report has revealed the disrespectful way in which John Harbaugh was fired this week.
Harbaugh was among NFL head coaches who were axed following Week 18’s results. His dismissal was perhaps the most surprising.
According to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec and Dianna Russini, no one saw it coming.
The insiders report that Harbaugh held a final team meeting before the players cleaned out their lockers, thanking his players and staff for their efforts during what was a challenging season.
“We exited the meeting thinking there would probably be a few coaching staff changes, maybe a coordinator change. That’s usually how it works,” a veteran player was quoted as saying.
“Then, the next day, everything got turned on its head.”
Harbaugh also met with general manager Eric DeCosta, executive vice president Ozzie Newsome and team president Sashi Brown on Monday. He is said to have discussed his vision for the team and coaching staff moving forward.
While the situation was “unsettled,” there were people pushing for Harbaugh’s return.
However, according to the report, owner Steve Bisciotti fired the 63-year-old over the phone while he was driving home from the team facility.
“It was neither a resignation nor a mutual parting. He was relieved of his duties,” Zrebiec and Russini note.
The manner in which Harbaugh was fired was certainly unexpected, given he had been the Ravens HC for close to two decades, but the NFL is a brutal business.
Harbaugh also shouldn’t be out of a job long, with teams around the league thought to be desperate to bring him in.
