John Harbaugh Signs Three-Year Contract Extension With Ravens

Filed under: Ravens, AFC North

Three years ago, Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett rejected the Ravens' offer to be their head coach. Shortly after the rejection that left the Ravens' faithful wondering who to hire with no big name coach available, enter an unknown Eagles defensive backs coach who had also coached the team's special teams for nine seasons, John Harbaugh.

Many Ravens fans and NFL experts questioned the hire. Fast forward to the present where Harbaugh -- who has enjoyed a three-year stretch where the Ravens notched a franchise-best 36 wins (including playoffs) along with three consecutive postseason appearances (also ranks first) -- is recognized as one of the top coaches in the NFL and no one saw him coming.

On Monday the Ravens awarded Harbaugh with a three-year, $12 million contract extension through to 2014, with the continued hope of bringing another Super Bowl to Baltimore.

"This is much appreciated and I am thankful to Steve," said Harbaugh. "I want to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him, Ozzie (Newsome), Dick (Cass), our players and everyone else in the organization as we work to bring championships to Baltimore. We have a lot of great people who are Ravens.

"I'm proud to be part of this. We all push each other and pull together. I said it when I came here: 'It's about the team.' And, we plan to be a championship team."

When Harbaugh arrived to Baltimore, the expectation of winning a Super Bowl within a two-year period like former Ravens head coach and now NFL Analyst Brian Billick did in the 2000 NFL season wasn't placed on his shoulders.

The son of Jack Harbaugh, who won an FCS Division I National Championship at Western Kentucky University in 2002, Harbaugh stepped up and led a team with a good mix of veterans and youth to become a legitimate Super Bowl contender in each of his first three seasons.

Harbaugh and the Ravens have the formula to win it all as the team looks forward to improving faults and becoming a champion. Harbaugh's well-deserved extension proves that the Ravens are on the right track and he seems the right guy to lead them.

"Having John increases our opportunity to compete for the NFL championship every year, which is our goal," said Ravens president Dick Cass in a statement.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/15/john-harbaugh-signs-three-year-contract-extension-with-ravens/

Julia Stiles Julianne Hough Julie Benz Julie Berry K. D. Aubert