OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- In the final team meeting of the 2024 season, Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh wanted his players to focus on taking pride in the year and not dwell on the pain of the 27-25 divisional playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills.

"You accomplished great things this season and you have been hugely successful. Is that understood?" Harbaugh told his players. "Hold your head high, stick your chin out and tell everybody that asks. We keep moving forward. For that and for how tough you are, I graciously thank you for this season."

The Ravens made a feverish late-season push to repeat as AFC North champions, thanks in part to Harbaugh. His best coaching occurred in December when Baltimore won three games over an 11-day stretch -- beating the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans -- proving it was physically strong and mentally sharp.

But, after another frustrating postseason finish, the Ravens probably will bring back their roster virtually intact. Only four full-time starters are free agents: offensive linemen Ronnie Stanley and Patrick Mekari, cornerback Brandon Stephens and fullback Patrick Ricard.

One of the biggest items on the Ravens' offseason checklist is Harbaugh's future. His deal runs through the 2025 season, and Baltimore has never let him start a regular season on the final year of his contract since he was hired in 2008. Harbaugh was asked at Wednesday's season-ending news conference whether he had spoken to anyone about his future.

"I'm happy, and however that goes, I trust God," Harbaugh said. "I trust the people I work with every day who I love, who are my friends, but more importantly, we're on a mission together, and as long as that goes, as long as God permits that to go, I'm all about it. I'm fired up for it, and I'm not worried about those kinds of things. They take care of themselves."

Harbaugh, 62, is the winningest coach in franchise history, leading the Ravens to a 184-114 record in his 17 seasons. His 12 playoff berths are the second-most in the league behind Andy Reid (14) since the season he was hired.

But playoff success has been a challenge lately. Harbaugh has guided the Ravens past the divisional round only once since winning the Super Bowl 12 seasons ago, when he and quarterback Lamar Jackson reached the AFC Championship Game in the 2023 postseason. 

Ricard said no one is more determined to win than Harbaugh.

"I genuinely think that every single thought in his head is about how he can make the Ravens better and what he can do for our team," Ricard said before the start of the playoffs. "And just the standard that he's kept here. I feel like it's probably the same feeling as it was when Ray Lewis and Ed Reed and all those guys were here. I feel like the culture of that locker room and how they were able to win a championship under him, he's able to keep that going. So when guys come here, they have to buy into the culture or they just aren't a Raven."

Harbaugh is the second-longest tenured NFL coach behind the Steelers' Mike Tomlin, who completed his 18th season in Pittsburgh. No other coach has been with his current team for more than 12 years.

Harbaugh's previous extension came in March 2022, when he was entering the final year of a contract he signed in January 2019. In announcing the deal, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said, "No interest in having him go lame duck on me here. It's not fair to him."

Bisciotti complimented Harbaugh on how much he evolved as a coach three years ago, and Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta echoed that at the end of this season.

"John's changed a lot over the years, in different ways -- in mostly all good ways," DeCosta said. "But when I say that, I think his passion for the team [and] for winning has never wavered. He's resolute in his beliefs, [and] he's a man of faith. He comes to work every day, and that's inspiring, because he has a passion at practice every day that's probably unmatched amongst anybody -- players [and] coaches."

Harbaugh guided Baltimore through some pitfalls such as an 0-2 start that included a home loss to the 4-13 Las Vegas Raiders. He also helped first-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr bounce back from some early season struggles by adding Dean Pees as a senior adviser.

 

At the start of December in Week 13, the Ravens hit another stumbling block when they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 24-19 heading into their bye. Baltimore fell to 8-5 and trailed first-place Pittsburgh by two games with four weeks remaining.

Then, the Ravens rebounded to win their last four games of the regular season by a combined score of 135-43. 

"If you take a big loss or a game that you weren't supposed to lose, he has an uncanny ability to stay poised when everyone else is probably trying to blame somebody or quit on each other," Ravens outside linebacker Odafe Oweh said. "He knows how to right the ship. He knows how to read the room and motivate us to get going the next week."

When he arrived in Baltimore, Harbaugh used bold decisions and a team-first mentality to elevate the Ravens to a perennial Super Bowl contender. His .617 win percentage -- including the playoffs -- has featured six AFC North titles, two No. 1 seeds and four trips to the AFC Championship Game.

But Harbaugh hears the criticism about the Ravens not being able to break through in the postseason lately.

"If you look at our team this year and in the past, for the past 17 years, you don't see us getting blown out. You don't see us falling apart," Harbaugh said. "You're either in a game or in the season. You always see us fighting back. I think that is the real measuring stick; not the narrative that, 'You can't do this, you can't do that.'

"And you keep striving forward to stack those games together and put three or four really good games together, error-free games together, and go ahead and win a Super Bowl. And when you do that, it's really a great accomplishment. So, we're capable of doing that. We put ourselves into position to do that, and we'll keep striving for that. So, if I've learned anything, I've learned that."