Baltimore, MD – June 1, 2025
They’ve thrilled. They’ve redefined the modern offense. They’ve even made the Ravens the winningest regular season team since 2019. But after six years of electric moments and playoff heartbreaks, John Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson find themselves at a familiar crossroads — admired, feared, yet still chasing the one thing that cements legacy in the NFL: a Super Bowl ring.
A recent ranking by The 33rd Team placed Harbaugh and Jackson as the No. 2 head coach-quarterback duo in the league, trailing only the Chiefs’ Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. Statistically, it’s hard to argue. Lamar, a two-time MVP, remains one of the league’s most unguardable threats. Harbaugh, now in his 17th season, is the Ravens’ all-time winningest coach. Together, they’ve built one of the most dangerous teams in football.
Yet for many fans, and perhaps for the duo themselves, the No. 2 spot feels less like a compliment and more like a reminder. "We’re proud of what we’ve done," Jackson told reporters this offseason, "but we’re not done. Until there’s a trophy in that building, it’s not enough."
The heartbreaks sting. A 14-2 regular season in 2019 ended in a shocking divisional round loss to the Titans. In 2023, the Ravens fell to the Bengals in another playoff stunner. And just this past January, Jackson’s two late turnovers sealed a bitter loss to the Bills, despite an MVP-level campaign and a defense ranked No. 1 for most of the season.
Still, the faith remains. Harbaugh has shown remarkable adaptability over his tenure, reshaping his staff, adjusting his schemes, and empowering a roster that’s perennially competitive. "There’s no one I’d rather go to battle with," Harbaugh said of Jackson. "He’s not just a quarterback — he’s the engine of our identity."
With new weapons like DeAndre Hopkins, a fully healthy Mark Andrews, and first-round pick Malaki Starks joining the fold, the 2025 Ravens are stacked again. The pressure, however, has never been greater. Anything less than a Super Bowl will only deepen the narrative that Baltimore’s royal pair may rule the regular season, but fall short when the crown is on the line.
And so the question looms: will No. 2 ever become No. 1?
"This team has the pieces," said an AFC executive anonymously. "But there’s only so long you can be ‘next up’ before time runs out."
The throne is within reach. But in a league built on rings, respect only goes so far.
