Baltimore Ravens Twitter Heaps Praise for Kicker Whose Missed Field Goal Cost Longtime Coach His Job: ‘From a Hero to a Villain’

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jabrill Peppers (40) reacts after Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) missed a field goal attempt in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Baltimore Ravens fans have forgiven the team’s kicker after his season-ending missed field goal resulted in the firing of longtime head coach John Harbaugh.

In Sunday night’s regular season finale, the Ravens took on the Pittsburgh Steelers in another installment of their storied AFC North rivalry. The winner of that game would be crowned champion of the division, while the loser would miss the playoffs entirely.

At the end of a fourth quarter filled with dramatics, Ravens rookie kicker Tyler Loop attempted a 44-yard field goal with the team trailing 26-24. In a stunning turn of events, the kick went wide right to give the Steelers the win.

With another Ravens season ending in disappointment, the team decided to part ways with Harbaugh after 18 seasons. He led his team to 12 playoff appearances and a Super Bowl championship in 2012.

Despite that impressive record, patience among Ravens fans had run thin in the years since that Super Bowl win. As a result, some have been calling for Harbaugh’s firing for several years now.

As multiple outlets have reported, Loop and his partner were subjected to countless hate messages in the immediate aftermath of his missed kick. Once Harbaugh was fired, however, fans took to social media to express their appreciation for the kicker unintentionally giving them what they’ve wanted.

—