John Harbaugh

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

In 2008, Harbaugh became the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. He stayed with the team for 18 seasons, leading them to many successes. During his time there, he helped the Ravens win six AFC North division titles and guided 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 soon 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. During his time there, 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 three sports: 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 and later took various assistant coaching roles in college football. In 1998, he joined the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL, where he served as a special teams coach and later as the defensive backs coach.

In 2008, Harbaugh became the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. Despite having no prior head coaching experience, he led the team to the playoffs in his first season. Over the years, he guided the Ravens to a Super Bowl victory in 2013, becoming the first brothers to face each other in a Super Bowl. Harbaugh remained with the Ravens until 2025, amassing many successful seasons and becoming the franchise's longest-tenured head coach.

In 2026, Harbaugh was hired as the head coach of the New York Giants, marking a new chapter in his coaching career.

Head coaching record

Coaching tree

John Harbaugh has worked with eight different head coaches during his career. These coaches helped shape his skills and style.

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

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 from 2020 to 2024, and then for the University of South Florida in 2025.

Harbaugh's younger brother, Jim, is a former NFL quarterback and has been the head football coach of the Los Angeles Chargers since 2024. He was previously the head coach for the Michigan Wolverines from 2015 to 2023. Their father, Jack, was a head football coach at Western Michigan University and Western Kentucky University. John's sister, Joani, is married to Tom Crean, a former head men's basketball coach at Marquette University, Indiana University, and the University of Georgia. John was roommates with Brian Pillman, a famous professional wrestler, while they were in college at Miami University in Ohio.