John Harbaugh

John William Harbaugh was born on September 23, 1962. He is an American professional football coach and is now the head coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). Before this, he worked for many years with the Philadelphia Eagles, coaching defensive backs and special teams.

In 2008, Harbaugh became the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. He coached there for 18 seasons. During that time, he helped the team win six AFC North division titles and led them to the Super Bowl XLVII, where they won. He also set several records, including the most wins by a head coach in Ravens history.

Harbaugh is also known for being the brother of another NFL head coach, Jim Harbaugh, who coaches the Los Angeles Chargers. They were the first brothers in NFL history to both be head coaches. After leaving the Ravens in January 2026, Harbaugh was hired by the New York Giants as their new head coach.

Early life

John Harbaugh was born in Toledo, Ohio to Jackie Cipiti and Jack Harbaugh. He went to Tappan Junior High School, now called Tappan Middle School, and then graduated from Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His father worked as an assistant coach under Bo Schembechler at the nearby University of Michigan. At Pioneer High School, John was very good at football, basketball, and track.

After high school, John went to college and played varsity football as a defensive back at Miami University. He finished his studies there in 1984.

Coaching career

John Harbaugh began his coaching career by working with his father. He later took assistant coaching jobs in college football. In 1998, he joined the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL. He worked as a special teams coach and later as the defensive backs coach.

In 2008, Harbaugh became the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. Even though he had never been a head coach before, he led the team to the playoffs in his first season. He helped the Ravens win the Super Bowl in 2013. He stayed with the Ravens until 2025 and became their longest-tenured head coach.

In 2026, Harbaugh became the head coach of the New York Giants, starting a new part of his career.

Head coaching record

Coaching tree

John Harbaugh has worked with eight different head coaches. These coaches helped him learn and grow.

Twelve of Harbaugh's assistants have become head coaches in big college football or the NFL. They have led teams like the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, and Denver Broncos.

Personal life

Further information: Harbaugh family

John Harbaugh is Catholic. He is married to Ingrid Harbaugh, and they have a daughter named Alison. Alison played lacrosse for the University of Notre Dame and later for the University of South Florida.

Harbaugh's younger brother, Jim, was a football quarterback and is now a coach for the Los Angeles Chargers. Their father, Jack, was also a football coach. John's sister, Joani, is married to Tom Crean, who was a basketball coach at different universities. John was roommates with Brian Pillman, a famous wrestler, when they were in college.