Call it a car ride from hell.
John Harbaugh found out that the Ravens were firing him as head coach via a phone call from owner Steve Bisciotti while he was driving home from the team facility, according to The Athletic.
The Ravens, who missed the playoffs after losing to the Steelers on Sunday in Week 18, fired Harbaugh on Tuesday, ending his 18-year tenure.
He had met with general manager Eric DeCosta, executive vice president Ozzie Newsome and team president Sashi Brown on Monday, according to the outlet, with the situation reportedly “unsettled.”
Earlier that day, Harbaugh conducted a final team meeting, with players leaving thinking he’d be back, they reported.
One day later, he was relieved of his duties.
“Well, I was hoping for a different kind of message on my last day here, someday, but that day has come today,” Harbaugh said in a statement on Tuesday. “It comes with disappointment certainly, but more with gratitude and appreciation.
“Gratitude to the owner and organization who was willing to bring in a head coach who made his mark with special teams success. A difficult thing to do. And appreciation for all the moments, all these years, that are etched into eternity. I hope a legacy built on faith, always fighting, always believing.”
Bisciotti explained his decision.
“Following a comprehensive evaluation of the season and the overall direction of our organization, I decided to make a change at head coach,” he said in a statement. “Today I informed John that he has been relieved of his duties.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision, given the tremendous 18 years we have spent together and the profound respect I have for John as a coach and, most importantly, as a great man of integrity. …Our goal has always been and will always be to win championships. We strive to consistently perform at the highest level on the field and be a team and organization our fans take pride in.”
Harbaugh has since become the hottest coaching candidate on the market, with the Giants, Raiders, Dolphins, Titans and Browns, among others, having interest in the Super Bowl winner.
