The stories of Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and his brother, Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, help encapsulate one of football’s most celebrated relationships.
Of course, the pinnacle of their ascensions coalesced in February of 2013, when the two dueled in the Super Bowl. John Harbaugh and the Ravens reigned supreme, hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in one of the sport’s most iconic moments.
In the years since, Baltimore has continued to compete for titles. Jim Harbaugh left San Francisco for the greener pastures of Michigan, winning a national championship before heading to Los Angeles.
Both have superstars under center and a chance at winning the AFC. The time for intense “Harbowls” will come, potentially in January. But for now, it’s the offseason, which means their rivalry is based on brotherhood, not football.
The Ravens coach caught his brother’s flak for dodging a foul ball at a recent Baltimore Orioles game. Harbaugh, in attendance with Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., ducked as the ball descended upon the seats behind home plate.
Jim Harbaugh didn’t waste an opportunity to make fun of his brother.
”I wasn’t going to talk about it,” he said on Thursday. “That literally was a can of corn. That would be the lesson: keep your eye on the ball. But far be it from me to coach Cal Ripken, a great shortstop.”
The elder Harbaugh got the last laugh in 2024, when Baltimore traveled to Hollywood and took down the Chargers, 30-23 on prime-time television. Both teams made the playoffs, with Los Angeles dropping its Wild Card contest against the Houston Texans and the Ravens defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers before finding heartbreak in the Divisional Round to the Buffalo Bills.
Unfortunately, the two won’t square off in the regular season. With how strong both teams project to be, a playoff date could still be in the cards.
With Harbaugh in attendance, Baltimore beat the Detroit Tigers, 10-1, on the backs of a strong outing from Zach Eflin and multiple runs batted in from infielders Ryan O’Hearn, Jordan Westburg, and Ramon Urias.
Ravens fans hope he’ll bring similar fortune to the sidelines on Sundays.
