Report: Jim Harbaugh Will Return To The NFL As The Coach Of The Chargers

Jim Harbaugh is on his way back to the NFL. After finally leading his alma mater, the University of Michigan, to a national championship earlier this month, Harbaugh is slated to become the next head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

The news was confirmed by Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, along with Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report.

This will not be Harbaugh’s first foray into coaching in the NFL. From 2011-14, Harbaugh was at the helm of the San Francisco 49ers, and accrued a 44-19-1 record during his tenure. This included a berth in the Super Bowl during his second year in charge, and the team made it to the postseason in each of his first three years with the team. However, following an 8-8 season in 2014, the two sides parted ways, which beget Harbaugh taking the coaching job at his alma mater.

During his tenure at Michigan, Harbaugh went 85-25, and while it took him seven seasons to make a Big Ten championship game, the Wolverines were able to get there and win the game in each of the last three seasons. That included a trio of berths in the College Football Playoff, and after losing to Georgia and TCU in their first two attempts at winning a national title, Harbaugh capped things off by beating Alabama in the semifinal and Washington in the final earlier this year to give the program its first national championship since 1997. He’s leaving on the heels of a season that was filled with controversy, as Harbaugh was suspended on two separate occasions with the potential for more punishment from the NCAA coming down the line.

Harbaugh takes over a Chargers team that fired Brandon Staley midway through the 2023 campaign, which ended with the team going 5-12. He’s been a popular name to replace Staley, as Harbaugh has apparently expressed that he’s a big fan of Justin Herbert.