One missed field goal in the final seconds sealed not just a game, but the fate of an entire era in Baltimore. Even Lamar Jackson found himself on the wrong side of history this season. That led him to pour his emotions into a farewell message, signaling his decision to move on.

“Year 8 🙏🏾💜🖤,” Jackson captioned his Instagram post with season highlights.

In that simple post, Jackson honored his eighth year in the NFL and his journey with the Ravens. Even after a down year filled with setbacks, the quarterback chose gratitude. This marks the second time under Jackson’s watch that the Ravens have missed the postseason entirely, the first since 2021. 

What’s striking is the pattern: Jackson battling through injuries that derailed both campaigns. 

This season alone, Jackson suited up for just 13 games, sidelined by a hamstring strain, ankle sprain, toe injury, knee issue, and back contusion. The absences piled up, mirroring 2021 when an ankle sprain forced him out for the final four games, handing the Ravens another familiar 8-9 finish. Year after year, the injuries have robbed them of their best shot, building quiet tension in the locker room.

While Jackson’s goodbye waves off just one underwhelming season, it carried a heavier weight for someone else in the organization. For the Ravens’ head coach, John Harbaugh, that final whistle meant a real, permanent farewell to Maryland.

John Harbaugh bids grateful goodbye after Ravens’ firing

The organization pulled the trigger just hours after a heartbreaking 26-24 loss at Pittsburgh, firing Harbaugh after 18 loyal years at the helm. The divorce stunned many, closing a chapter that few saw ending so abruptly.

“Well, I was hoping for a different kind of message on my last day here, someday, but that day has come today. It comes with disappointment certainly, but more with GRATITUDE & APPRECIATION.”

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“Gratitude to the owner and organization who was willing to bring in a head coach who made his mark with Special Teams success. A difficult thing to do … and Appreciation for all the moments, all these years, that are etched into eternity. I hope a legacy buit on Faith, always Fighting always Believing,” Harbaugh wrote in his farewell statement.

Harbaugh’s sudden exit has certainly shocked the league, as he had been the NFL’s second-longest tenured head coach, trailing only the Steelers’ head coach, Mike Tomlin. Hired by the Ravens in 2008, Harbaugh transformed the franchise with a remarkable track record: 12 playoff appearances, one AFC Championship, and a Super Bowl XLVII victory in 2012.

Now, with Harbaugh out, the Ravens face an uncertain rebuild while Jackson reflects on his future. The coach, no doubt, will draw interest from teams hungry for his proven winning formula. For now, though, the Harbaugh-Ravens era is over, leaving Baltimore to chase new beginnings amid the echoes of what once was.