There are stepping-stone jobs and destination jobs. That’s particularly true in coaching. Just take what you see at the collegiate level. There are apparent reasons why great coaches leave struggling programs to join the traditional powers in the more respected conferences. There are only 32 NFL head-coaching jobs on the planet, but trust us on this. All of those jobs aren’t created equally. There is a decided difference between leading the Baltimore Ravens and the Carolina Panthers.
Our apologies to the citizens of Charlotte, North Carolina, but you had to have learned this by now. John Harbaugh has manned Baltimore’s controls as head coach since 2008. During that time, Carolina has had two owners (Jerry Richardson and David Tepper) and eight head coaches.
Being the Ravens’ head coach qualifies as a ‘destination job’, though it appears Steve Bisciotti won’t be looking for one anytime in the near future. That’s the definition of an elite culture at the pro level. Coach Harbaugh took some time on the eve of final roster cuts to provide a detailed explanation of what that culture looks like.
“I think we have a really good system that has been built with deep foundations here.” Harbs on the development of players pic.twitter.com/mciasc4kqV
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 25, 2025
Entering the 2025 NFL season, the Ravens have become some analysts’ Super Bowl pick, and even if there are opinions expressed to the contrary, no one doubts this team will compete all season as one of the genuine contenders in the AFC.
Two seasons ago, a home loss ended the dream in the AFC Championship Game. Last January, Baltimore was bounced in the Divisional Round, thanks to a road loss to the AFC East champion Buffalo Bills.
There is hope that this is the year where they put it all together and win another Lombardi Trophy. With this team, coaching staff, and culture, there is reason to believe. The only thing that can stop the mighty Baltimore Ravens is themselves.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens’ culture and foundation earn elite praise from John Harbaugh