For the first time since 2018, Steve Biscotti sat center stage at a Ravens postseason presser. And aside from the content, the Ravens owner put on a masterclass on how to re-engage with a media corps that he ghosted for the better part of a decade.
By the sound of it, while Bisciotti is fully the man in charge, we shouldn’t get too used to him being available to the media. He now seems to be the leader of the remote-work crew.
His reason for appearing this time was to explain the reasons for removing John Harbaugh as head coach after 18 seasons, make it clear he is a staunch supporter of general manager Eric DeCosta and generally offer some insights on his team’s future.
Here are five takeaways from Bisciotti’s chat with the media.
1. The Ravens are casting a wide net in their search for a head coach.
While I can’t say for sure the hire won’t be a first-time coach, Bisciotti seemed to go out of his way to make the point that he knows he could take some flak if he fires Harbaugh only to hire a head coach with a much lesser resume. He alluded to the fact that the Ravens will consider extenuating circumstances for former head coaches (such as poor quarterback situations) that could explain a rough record in a coach’s first chance.
That means candidates like Brian Flores, Kliff Kingsbury, Mike McDaniel, Matt Nagy, Kevin Stefanski and Robert Saleh should not be overlooked for the younger and sexier names like Klint Kubiak, Jesse Minter and Davis Webb.
Just because Biscotti alluded to wanting to find the next John Harbaugh doesn’t mean the Ravens literally are looking at first-time head coaches. They merely want someone who can be in Baltimore for a number of years.
2. Bisciotti trusts his general manager.
There is a lot of anti-DeCosta sentiment in Baltimore among the fan base. Well, don’t count Biscotti among those people. He clearly is a strong believer in his general manager. While Bisciotti flexed his muscle on some occasions, he made it clear he’d like the next head coach to be DeCosta’s decision, even if the choice will ultimately be approved by Bisciotti.
Bisciotti also noted that when DeCosta, Sashi Brown and Ozzie Newsome bring the top name or names to him, they will have been fully vetted and he will trust all are qualified for the job.
3. Lamar Jackson will have a say in the process to find a new head coach.
The Ravens have done a very skilled job walking that fine line insomuch that they are in control but realize that Lamar Jackson is vitally important to their chances to win a Super Bowl in the next several years.
The Ravens know Jackson has leverage in upcoming contract talks to lessen his 2026 cap hit ($74.5 million), but they are encouraging him to be a part of the process to make him feel respected. In return, they are confident that Jackson will be more cooperative and timely in negotiating his contract than the last time around.
Bisciotti was clear that without a new deal for Jackson, DeCosta would be hamstrung in his efforts to improve the team for 2026.
When asked directly if Jackson would have a say in the decision on the next coach, Biscotti said his star quarterback will have a say but won’t choose the next coach. Biscotti said he cares deeply about what his players think and wants their input, but he will have the power and he can never cede that to players.
4. Bisciotti still plans to sell the team down the line rather than keep it in his family.
On the topic of how long his tenure as Ravens owner may last, Bisciotti was clear that his decision not to pass on the team within his family is still firm. Too often he has seen such transfers of power cause familial disputes and he doesn’t want that to happen.
Bisciotti referenced how he has now been part of this organization for more than 25 years. At the age of 65, he doesn’t see himself doing it much past 75. He did say (with a smile) that if he won a Super Bowl at 75, he might stay until 76.
5. Mike Tomlin is an intriguing but unlikely candidate.
Did fan discontent play a part in Bisciotti’s decision to part ways with Harbaugh? His answer was interesting. He did notice that dissatisfaction was clearly on the rise, but his take was that it upset him that fans were so critical of his friend. He felt that perhaps he owed it to Harbaugh to remove him as the target of discontent among fans and give him the chance at a fresh start and being No. 1 on every team’s dance card in the head-coach market.
In that assessment, Bisciotti was spot on.
Everyone got word of Mike Tomlin stepping down as Steelers head coach during Bisciotti’s news conference. To keep it polite, let’s just say that Bisciotti was gobsmacked by the news. When asked by Mike Preston if he’d be interested in Tomlin, Bisciotti joked, “Only if John takes the Pittsburgh job.”
But, seriously, Tomlin lasted 19 seasons in Pittsburgh. His record was 193-114-2 and he never had a losing season. Tomlin’s teams haven’t quite been up to the task of truly contending for championships of late, especially after Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2022 season.
The rumors are that Tomlin wants to take a year off from coaching. But could full-court press from Bisciotti, DeCosta and even Newsome woo the 53-year-old Tomlin to Baltimore with the promise of inheriting a two-time MVP quarterback? The Steelers still hold Tomlin’s rights, so the Ravens would have to swing a trade.
Again, I have nothing against a veteran head coach with a losing record replacing Harbaugh because this time he will be entering a building that does a lot more right than wrong. But if I have a choice between Nagy, Stefanski and Tomlin, I am going with the proven winner.
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