Baltimore Ravens
Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
It took John Harbaugh five seasons to win his first Super Bowl. He’s gone 12 seasons without another Lombardi victory since, and the last seven have come with two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.
While the Ravens are constantly viewed as one of the strongest Super Bowl contenders, they’re still trying to win one with their superstar QB. Though, now coach Harbaugh is seeking some help from another fellow former Super Bowl-winning head coach.
According to Harbaugh, the Ravens had former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden join them for OTAs this offseason. Harbaugh specifically touted Gruden’s “great football mind” while praising the “insight” he gathered from the entire experience.
“He loves football, he’s a great football coach, great football mind,” Harbaugh said, via the team’s website. “He studied our team, gave us some insight — players, coaches, schemes, all of it. We didn’t give him the playbook, we didn’t give him a script either. You can only go so far. He studied us. Basically, the message was, ‘If I was game planning against you on defense, what would I do, how would I attack you?’ He didn’t just stop there. He watched our offensive guys. He had something for each player. Very, very detailed.”
John Harbaugh on Jon Gruden
Based on Harbaugh’s accounts, Gruden sounds like a man with a burning desire to get back into coaching at the NFL level. After the overwhelmingly positive experience they shared, it’s possible the Ravens ask Gruden to return for a more permanent role on the coaching staff this season.
After all, it’s been four seasons since Gruden has operated a headset on NFL sidelines. Teams continue giving him a chance to work with their personnel, as the New Orleans Saints previously did with former Gruden tutelage Derek Carr. Perhaps one day he will pop back in the NFL for good. It could even happen later this fall.
Related: 2025 NFL QB Rankings: Where does Lamar Jackson rank?