In a recent interview, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh spoke with the team’s media. Harbaugh expressed his frustration with the Super Bowl or Bust narrative around the Ravens.
John Harbaugh Blasts ‘Super Bowl or Bust’ Narrative
The Ravens are gearing up for the start of the 2025 season as one of the favorites for the Super Bowl and are widely regarded as one of the best teams in the NFL. Because of the talent the Ravens possess all around their roster, headlined by players such as Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Kyle Hamilton, and others, the Ravens are expected to be in the mix for the Super Bowl and win. However, Harbaugh doesn’t agree with the notion that the Ravens are a ‘Super Bowl or bust” team, calling media members “phony” who use the term.
“All this garbage about do or die or Super Bowl or bust, it’s so phony,” Harbaugh said via The Ravens Lounge. “Anybody who says something like that has never really accomplished anything because they’d understand it’s about the process, it’s about who you are becoming. You want to win a championship, you have to become a champion, and you have to do the things champions do. Then you go in there and fight and let the chips fall where they may.”
John Harbaugh eviscerates a national media ‘Super Bowl or bust’ narrative that’s been attached to the Ravens:
“All this garbage … It’s just so phony. Anybody that says something like that has never actually accomplished anything.”
via @Ravens / The Lounge pic.twitter.com/KWUKOmfIyf
— Bobby Trosset (@bobbybaltim0re) July 23, 2025
Harbaugh went on to say he doesn’t know if a Super Bowl is in the Ravens’ future, but believes if the Ravens continue to fight for each other, they will be happy with where the chips fall. Though Harbaugh disagrees with the notion that the Ravens must win the Super Bowl, it is indisputable that the Ravens have immense pressure on them for this season.
Baltimore is the current betting favorite to win Super Bowl LX via Fanduel. They are also tied for the best odds to win the Super Bowl via DraftKings. Also, ESPN analysts named the Ravens the best starting lineup in the NFL, so it is not surprising to see the media press the issue on the Ravens at least making the Super Bowl in 2025. In 2024, the Ravens fell short in the AFC Divisional round, losing to the Buffalo Bills. In 2023, the Ravens owned the number one seed in the AFC but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs at home in the AFC Championship game.
Ravens Need To Breakthrough In AFC
It is time for the Ravens to break through in the AFC. It is tough when a juggernaut in the Chiefs has been reigning supreme in the conference; however, if the Ravens are as good as the media and metrics show that they are, they will have to get over the hump eventually.
Despite missing the playoffs the last two seasons, Baltimore’s own division rival has gotten over the hump once, as they earned themselves a Super Bowl trip in 2021. Even though there’s pressure on Harbaugh to deliver another championship to Baltimore, the Ravens will only go as far as their MVP quarterback, Lamar Jackson, will take them. It’s no secret that Jackson hasn’t quite performed up to his MVP level the past couple of seasons in the playoffs, so if the Ravens are planning a Super Bowl run, Jackson will need to find a way to meet his regular-season play with his postseason play.
What’s even crazier to think about is if the Ravens were to reach the Super Bowl, they could potentially win it. In the Jackson era, as a starting quarterback, the Ravens have been 24-4 against the NFC.
Can Baltimore Live Up To The Lofty Expectations?
If the Ravens don’t live up to expectations in 2025, could that lead to a change? It wouldn’t be surprising if Baltimore felt like it needed a new voice to lead the franchise if the Ravens aren’t able to break through. Harbaugh being annoyed by the talk around the Ravens makes sense if it leads to him not being the coach going forward, because they didn’t live up to expectations.
Not at least reaching the AFC Championship game this year wouldn’t be anything short of a disappointment. The Chiefs is well documented but the Buffalo Bills have had more championship game appearances than the Ravens in the last few seasons as well.
Main Image: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
