Steve Bisciotti reveals key Ravens stat that led to ‘hard’ John Harbaugh firing decision

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said John Harbaugh was fired for blowing 4th-quarter leads, calling it unfit for a winning team after playoff failures.

Updated on: Jan 14, 2026, 01:16:08 IST

By Shamik Banerjee

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Steve Bisciotti, the owner of the Baltimore Ravens, revealed in a press conference the behind-the-scenes reasons for the firing of former head coach, John Harbaugh on January 6

Owner Steve Bisciotti of the Baltimore Ravens looks on prior to the game against the New York Jets. (Getty Images via AFP)

Speaking to the media at a press conference on Wednesday, he pointed out a damning stat of the Baltimore Ravens team under Harbaugh, highlighting that it does not go with the culture of a winning team.

Bisciotti said that the decision to fire Harbaugh, after 18 seasons in charge, came because of the leads the team was giving up on, especially in the fourth quarter.

“We led the league in giving up leads in the 4th quarter,” Bisciotti said . "It's not something that winning organizations do. We have underperformed based on our season in the playoffs. Very disappointing."

The Ravens finished 8-9 under head coach John Harbaugh - the franchise's first losing record since 2021. In the course of the season, the Ravens blew away eight leads - the most by any team this season.

It included the Week 1 loss vs the Bills where the Ravens Led 40-25 with 4:48 left but lost 41-40 after allowing 16 unanswered points. Three of the total blown leads came in the fourth quarter, proving disastrous for the Ravens season.

Bisciotti Thought On The Decision For Weeks

Additionally, Steve Bisciotti revealed that the decision to sack John Harbaugh was not an easy one. He spoke about sitting on it for about three weeks before actually making the decision. He revealed that he spoke about it with General Manager, Eric DeCosta, weeks before the actual sacking of Harbaugh.

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"But I just thought it was something in the last 10 years we've won the third most games in the NFL, and yet people were saying we were underachievers. And we were," he added. "We had to own that."

“I woke up Monday and I was pretty sure I was going to do it. I got a lot of great partners here, and I spent a lot of time with them and asking their opinions. And, I made the decision. And, it was a hard one.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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