Last Ravens coach before John Harbaugh: Revisiting Baltimore's Brian Billick era from 1999-2007

In a game largely defined by its ever-changing nature, the Ravens have remained remarkably steady throughout their existence. They've endured a fair few disappointing campaigns, to be sure. But their front office has rarely responded to season-to-season volatility impulsively, opting for a less frenzied approach. Whereas other organizations change head coaches frequently, Baltimore tends to leave their head coaches be -- at least until the situation grows truly untenable.

John Harbaugh lasted 18 years in Charm City before being fired in 2026. His predecessor, Brian Billick, was similarly charmed, keeping his post for nearly a decade despite falling short of expectations -- save for one Super Bowl-winning season.

So, just what happened to Billick? Why was he fired? And what is there to know about Baltimore's history of head coaches?

Here's what you need to know about Billick's tenure with the Ravens.

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What happened to Brian Billick?

Billick served as Baltimore's head coach for nine seasons, rising to the post following Ted Marchibroda's dismissal after the 1998 season. The Ravens made the playoffs four times under Billick's tutelage, including a 35-7 triumph in Super Bowl 35. Under Billick's tutelage, Baltimore developed its penchant for defensive excellence during Billick's time in charge, ranking inside the top-10 in scoring defense seven times.

At their best, the Ravens were a harrowing side capable of striking fear into the AFC's best sides. Their defense was daunting, with Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Adalius Thomas and Chris McAlister all landing first-team All-Pro nods throughout Billick's tenure.

Still, Baltimore missed the postseason more times than it made it under Billick. The team was plagued by inconsistent offensive showings and failed to get beyond the divisional round in any of its other three postseason appearances with Billick. After posting a 5-11 record in 2007, the Ravens dismissed Billick, replacing him with Harbaugh. Billick proceeded to leap headfirst into broadcasting, becoming an NFL Network analyst.

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Why did Ravens fire Brian Billick?

Baltimore cleaned house following a putrid 2007 campaign that saw the Ravens post a 5-11 record. Billick was sacked, as was the rest of his staff, including defensive coordinator Rex Ryan.

Billick led Baltimore to a then-franchise-best 13-3 record in 2006. But the Ravens tumbled in a major way in 2007, dropping nine-straight games, including — most damningly — a 22-16 loss to the previously winless Dolphins.

"I believed that it was time for a change, I believed that we have the nucleus of a team that can get back to the Super Bowl, and we felt that in the next five years we had a better chance with a new coach than leaving Brian in that position," owner Steve Bisciotti said, per ESPN.

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The Ravens fancied themselves Super Bowl contenders after their historic 2006 campaign. But the losses piled up, drawing attention to the franchise's underperformance during Billick's spell in charge. Baltimore started the season 4-2, but fell off as injuries and a proclivity for turnovers draped over the side's offense.

"We believe that we will be better with fresh blood or we wouldn't have made this decision," Bisciotti said. "We obviously wouldn't fire Brian if we thought we were where we needed to be."

Brian Billick coaching record

*made playoffs

**won Super Bowl

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Ravens head coaches

To date, Baltimore has had just three coaches in its storied existence. Bisciotti, the franchise's principal owner since 2004, has tended to show patience with the side's taskmasters over the years.

Here's a look at a list of the people tasked with stalking the Ravens' sidelines so far: