Harbaughs deal with elation, devastation of Super Bowl
NEW ORLEANS -- Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said he realized during pregame that coaching against his younger brother in the Super Bowl wasn't the ideal scenario.
"It was still pretty rough. The toughest moment of all was walking across the field," John Harbaugh said of the postgame handshake at the end of a 34-31 Ravens' victory over the San Francisco 49ers one mile up the street Sunday night.
"I came to the conclusion that only thing that would have been worse is if one of us wasn't there; and the only thing worse than that is if neither one of us was there," he said. "Toughest part of all was walking across the field. And if you can imagine there was a great amount of elation and a great amount of devastation and those two feelings went hand in hand at that moment."
Throughout the week John has referred to younger brother Jim "as the best coach in the National Football League," a statement he repeated Monday morning.
Parents Jack and Jackie Harbaugh were guests in the private box of commissioner Roger Goodell along with New Jersey governor Chris Christie and others. Goodell told John Harbaugh that his parents were virtually silent during most of the longest Super Bowl ever played.
Before joining the Ravens' organization and "dancing the night away" with his daughter, Allison, at the team celebration, John Harbaugh said he had a moment to see his parents. They noticeably shared the same torn emotions.
"You could see it on their face, that's emotion," he said.
When the dust settles, the Harbaugh Brothers will talk about football and life, and possibly their Super Bowl experience. A family viewing of Super Bowl XLVII?
"I don't think we'll ever watch that game together, absolutely not," he said.
