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Former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh's refusal to move on from offensive coordinator Todd Monken was reportedly a "pressure point" that led to his firing on Tuesday (January 6), according to the Athletic's Dianna Russini.
"A key pressure point in the John Harbaugh dismissal, according to those familiar with today’s discussions, was his refusal to entertain any conversations about potentially moving on from offensive coordinator Todd Monken," Russini wrote on her X account.
The Ravens ranked No. 11 in total offense (332.2 yards per game) and scoring offense (24.9 points per game) despite quarterback Lamar Jackson dealing with injuries. Harbaugh, 63, is the longest-tenured and winningest head coach in Ravens history with a 180-113 record in 18 seasons, which includes winning Super Bowl LXVII and the 2019 Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year award, as well as recording an NFL record eight road playoff wins among an 13-11 postseason record.
The Ravens were, however, preseason betting favorites to win the Super Bowl and instead went 8-9, missing the playoffs by losing their final regular season game to the AFC North Division rival Pittsburgh Steelers, as well as going 3-6 at M&T Bank Stadium, their worst home record in franchise history. Baltimore fans booked Harbaugh while he was coming off the field during a 44-10 loss to the Houston Texans on October 5 and MT&T Bank Stadium had a large number of empty seats during the Ravens' final seven home games.