Jim Harbaugh leaving Michigan to become head coach of Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh helped Michigan win the Rose Bowl in Pasadena before leading the Wolverines to the national championship. It turns out Harbaugh should’ve also been looking for real estate while in the Southern California area.
Harbaugh has agreed to become the Los Angeles Chargers' head coach, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the deal.
The deal officially marks Harbaugh’s much-anticipated return to the NFL.
Harbaugh spent the past nine years with the Wolverines, compiling an 89-25 record in that span. His time at Michigan didn’t come without controversy. Harbaugh was suspended by the school for the first three games of the 2023 season because of a recruiting violation and subsequent failure to cooperate with an NCAA investigation. He was then suspended for the final three Michigan regular-season games by the Big Ten for alleged sign stealing.
Despite the rocky 2023 season, Harbaugh led Michigan to its first national title since 1997.
Prior to becoming Michigan’s head coach, Harbaugh led the San Francisco 49ers for four seasons. He produced a 44-19-1 record and led San Francisco to an appearance in Super Bowl 47. He has also had coaching stints at the University of San Diego and Stanford University.
Harbaugh played in the NFL for 15 years − including with the Indianapolis Colts from 1994-97 − before he transitioned to the sideline. Harbaugh has ties with the Chargers. He was a quarterback for the then-San Diego Chargers from 1999-2000.
The Chargers interviewed several candidates after they fired head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco on Dec. 15.
Harbaugh’s been a hot coaching candidate in recent years. He flirted with returning to the NFL the last two years. But it is the Chargers that were able to lure Harbaugh away from Michigan and back to the NFL.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jim Harbaugh leaving Michigan to become coach of Chargers
