The Los Angeles Chargers hired Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh as their new head coach this past Wednesday. Harbaugh has been a top prospect for the Chargers as Harbaugh has been trying to get back into the NFL.[1] Harbaugh has had an extensive football career. Harbaugh attended the University of Michigan and played as the starting quarterback for three seasons.[2] During his senior year, he led his team to the 1987 Rose Bowl and was a Heisman finalist.[3] Following the Rose Bowl, Harbaugh declared for the NFL draft and was selected by the Chicago Bears in the first round.[4] He played 14 years as a quarterback in the NFL, with Chicago from 1987 to 1993, the Indianapolis Colts from 1994 to 1997, the Baltimore Ravens in 1998, and the San Diego Chargers in 1999 to 2000.[5] In 1995 with Indianapolis, he led the Colts to the AFC Championship Game, was selected to the Pro Bowl and was honored as NFL Comeback Player of the Year.[6] In 2002, Harbaugh returned to the NFL, but as a quarterback coach for the then Oakland Raiders. In 2004, he went on to serve as the head coach for the University of San Diego.[7] After leading San Diego to a couple league championships, he moved on to coach at Stanford, where he was able to lead them to an Orange Bowl win in 2011.[8] Following this, Harbaugh moved back to the NFL where he signed a five-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers,leading them to three NFC Championship games.[9] In 2015, Harbaugh moved back to college football and served as the head coach for the University of Michigan from 2015 to 2023.[10] He was able to lead the team to two college football playoffs and win the College Football Playoffs National Championship this past season.[11]
Harbaugh initially interviewed with the Chargers on Jan. 15, and there was always a strong desire to make it to a second interview.[12] The Chargers interviewed 15 coaches for their vacant position, but Harbaugh was always the leading candidate so long as he was ready to jump back to the NFL.[13] All of this, despite Harbaugh being in the spotlight with the NCAA for breaking the sportsmanship policy on sign stealing.[14] Harbaugh was suspended for three games at the end of Michigan’s regular season and this suspension banned him from the “game venue” on game days, but kept his ability to coach throughout the rest of the week.[15] The attorney for Harbaugh raised concerns that the NCAA[ND1] was moving too quickly in letters they sent to the conference, as they stated a punishment from the Big Ten would be ignoring both due process and the conference’s bylaws.[16] Michigan also argued that the conference “breached a contract, succumbed to pressure, and threw procedure out the window in pursuit of summary punishment” in suspending Harbaugh.[17] NCAA investigations do move slower then NFL investigations, but since Harbaugh is currently under two separate investigations within the NCAA, it will be interesting to see how they play out now that he is in the NFL and will no longer be associated with the University of Michigan.
[1] Chargers hire Jim Harbaugh: Los Angeles’ new coach returns to NFL after leading Michigan to national title – CBSSports.com
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[4] Id.
[5] Id.
[6] Id.
[7] Id.
[8] Id.
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[11] Id.
[12] Chargers hire Jim Harbaugh: Los Angeles’ new coach returns to NFL after leading Michigan to national title – CBSSports.com
[13] Id.
[14] https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38864724/sources-big-ten-ban-michigan-jim-harbaugh-field
[15] Id.
[16] Id.
[17] Id.
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