John Harbaugh might not be a fully-fledged Taylor Swift fan, but he’s majorly invested in her relationship with Travis Kelce.
In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, the Baltimore Ravens head coach and Harbaugh Coaching Academy co-founder, 61, explained he has daughter Alison to thank for giving him an education in all things Swiftie.
“I couldn’t say I’m a Taylor Swift fan because I don’t know enough of the songs,” Harbaugh admitted, “but the songs I’ve heard from my daughter over the years, I like ‘em. I think they’re excellent. I think she’s so talented. When you watch her perform, oh my god, it’s sick how talented she is.”
Once Swift, 34, started dating Kansas City Chiefs star Kelce, also 34, in summer 2023, Harbaugh couldn’t help but wonder if it might expedite the decorated tight end’s exit from the league, giving the coach and his staff one less headache to have to worry about.
“I hope they get married,” Harbaugh said. “I hope they have a bunch of kids. Heck, maybe he’ll get ready to retire here pretty soon to pursue that family aspect of his life.”
Harbaugh continued, “I would encourage that.”
All jokes aside, Harbaugh said Swift and Kelce’s high-powered romance is “the coolest thing ever” and that he’s “rooting for them.”
As Harbaugh prepares to return to the sidelines this fall for his 17th season as head coach of the Ravens – opening up the regular season against Kelce and the Chiefs on September 5, no less – he has his sights set on mentoring the next generation of sports leaders.
Earlier this month, along with his father, Jack Harbaugh, brother Jim Harbaugh and college basketball coaching icon Tom Crean, he launched the online Harbaugh Coaching Academy, a non-profit organization designed to to be a resource for coaches working across the spectrum of sports and operating at all playing levels.
“It was an area where we thought, ‘Would this be cool? Surely somebody is doing this. This must be out there? Who’s doing it?’” Harbaugh told Us about the Academy’s formation. “But nobody is doing anything like it. There are sites where you can get tips on lacrosse shooting or how to dribble a basketball or things like that. But when you get a chance to sit down and have these long conversations with people, stuff comes out. We can’t wait to see where it ends up going.”
The Harbaugh Coaching Academy features an expansive video library featuring advice, stories and lessons from some of the most celebrated names in sports, including Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, Rams head coach Sean McVay and legendary former NFL coach Dick Vermeil.
Over his decades-long coaching career, Harbaugh has seen things evolve massively, particularly as head coaches have often become the face of entire franchises.
“There’s more to be aware of, for sure,” Harbaugh said of the modern-day coaching job. “You’re responsible for everything. As a head coach, you’re responsible for every person’s decision in the program, which is kind of amazing to think that way. There’s so many more people involved now. The organizations, the teams, it’s all just so much bigger than it used to be.”
Sometimes, Harbaugh acknowledged, that involves answering for the headline-making behavior of somebody within the organization, as Reid was forced to do with Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker.
“It’s probably always been that way, to some degree,” Harbaugh said. “It’s just more on a public scale now. You do get asked to give your two-cents or comment on everything that’s happening in people’s lives. The social media part is the biggest part because someone expresses an opinion – whether it be in a commencement address or a speech or talking to a group or just on social media – now it’s, ‘Well, what is your comment to that? What’s your response?’ It’s like, ‘Am I supposed to have a response?”
Harbaugh continued, “It’s just kind of the generation that we live in, so I’m not surprised.”
When those instances do happen, Harbaugh said he’s become well-adept at knowing how to handle them.
“You have to be conscientious of respecting people’s space,” he suggested. “Respecting their right or their opportunity or their freedom to be who they are. We’re all kind of on our own journey that way. We’re all unique that way.”
To learn more about Harbaugh Coaching Academy and explore its vast resources, visit HarbaughCoachingAcademy.org.
