Harbaugh To Join Tour Of Persian Gulf

Ravens

The NFL announced Monday that Ravens coach John Harbaugh will be one of five current and former league coaches who will travel this month to the Persian Gulf region to meet with service members on the inaugural NFL-USO Coaches Tour.

New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin, Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher, former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher and former Los Angeles Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden will join Harbaugh on the trip, expected to last several days.

During the past four decades, according to the league, NFL stars including Terry Bradshaw, Larry Csonka, Franco Harris, Howie Long, Don Meredith, Lynn Swann and Johnny Unitas have visited U.S. troops in locations including Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Somalia and Vietnam.

In 2008, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell accompanied players on a trip to Iraq and Afghanistan. And players Jared Allen, Danny Clark, Larry Fitzgerald and Will Witherspoon spent 10 days in March visiting troops in Iraq and Kuwait.

"These soldiers allow us to live freely in our country," Harbaugh said in a statement issued by the league. "They keep the world safe. They sacrifice for us every day. If I can help these men and women in any way, however small it might be, I will."