With owner Steve Bisciotti and general manager Eric DeCosta conducting the Ravens’ season-ending press conference on Tuesday afternoon, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. It’s a shame Bisciotti doesn’t see the value of talking to the fan base annually anymore because his unrehearsed and unfiltered candor on the state of the Ravens was refreshing. However, he also repeatedly went out of his way to note how he isn’t as engaged as he once was.
2. The owner fired John Harbaugh based on “instincts,” citing blown leads and postseason underperformance the entire organization must still own. Bisciotti first discussed Harbaugh’s future with DeCosta “three or four weeks ago” and said a Week 18 win in Pittsburgh only would have saved Harbaugh “for a week.” Blunt.
3. Bisciotti called DeCosta “one of the best GMs in the league” and said he’s been “very introspective about his failures and how they contributed to our dear friend being shown the door.” A strong endorsement, but Bisciotti also just fired Harbaugh nine months after giving him a contract extension.
4. Though Lamar Jackson didn’t have “an outsized part” in the Harbaugh decision, Bisciotti made clear his opinions matter and is giving Jackson every opportunity to squash any questions about him not being as engaged or happy. I’m intrigued to see if Jackson accepts the invitation to participate in finalist interviews.
5. Bisciotti didn’t mince words about Jackson needing to sign an extension by saying, “We want another window, and Lamar knows that.” However, he noted the timing needing to be before free agency and the band-aid alternative of restructuring his $51.25 million salary to lower his $74.5 million number for 2026.
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6. A telling moment was Bisciotti interjecting about coaching shortcomings as DeCosta discussed the offensive line. “You can look at a lot of guys on our team that we had expected to take the next step that did not take that next step.” It’s safe to assume George Warhop won’t return.
7. Bisciotti greased the runway for the Ravens potentially hiring a “retread” who was a head coach for a team that was “non-competitive and didn’t have a quarterback,” citing the many variables leading to success or failure. Five of their first seven official interviews have been with former NFL head coaches.
8. That said, DeCosta is doing the heaviest lifting in this search and is known for thinking outside the box. I doubt he’s going to push for a recycled commodity if he has strong conviction that someone like Nathan Scheelhaase or Davis Webb is the next Sean McVay.
9. Asked about Nnamdi Madubuike’s football future, DeCosta declined to discuss specifics and said the Ravens are “still working through a lot of his different ideas and things that we can hopefully get more and more information about his situation.” You’d assume Baltimore would have shared any encouraging news by now.
10. Both Bisciotti and DeCosta went out of their way to endorse Tyler Loop with the former going as far as assuring “he’ll be our kicker next year.” That may prove to be the case, but not bringing in some serious competition for Loop next summer would be a mistake.
11. Bisciotti reiterated having no desire to keep the franchise in his family. “I want to win a couple Super Bowls and get the hell out. I’d love that to be in the next 10 years when I’m 75.” Firing someone who’s “like a brother” reinforces Bisciotti still having competitive fire.
12. News of Mike Tomlin stepping down after 19 years in Pittsburgh only added to a surreal week. Asked if Tomlin would be a candidate for Baltimore’s opening, Bisciotti quipped, “Only if John takes the Pittsburgh job. Wow, wouldn’t that be interesting?” It’s the end of an era.
