Staley recounts favorite Harbaugh memory with hilarious story
Staley recounts favorite Harbaugh memory with hilarious story originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
During a recent podcast appearance, Joe Staley put it perfectly when he described his former 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh as "unique."
The retired San Francisco left tackle shared his favorite memory of Harbaugh last week on the Mojobreak Media podcast, summing up the coach's eccentric personality with a comical story of lunchtime in the 49ers cafeteria.
"I remember one time sitting down, and he sat down at our table we were at. Those conversations are always shooting the s--t, you're telling stories, it's a bunch of high school kids at the lunch table," Staley said. "... I'm telling a funny story, we get to the punchline and the table erupts in laughter and Jim, I remember the moment, he's sitting across from me and he's just stone faced the whole time ... Like, no laughing, just staring at me. I'm like, 'S--t, I hope I didn't offend him with what I said.'
"And then I would say probably 10 seconds after everybody died down and the conversation came back and someone else was talking on, he erupted. It took him 10 seconds, he erupted in laughter. He was just looking at me and staring at me where it made me uncomfortable."
Classic Harbaugh.
Staley also recalled how Harbaugh encouraged the 49ers to mingle with teammates outside their position groups at lunch and often sat with his players, leading to unforgettable moments like the one mentioned.
"... It was always a big thing, he brought it up, sit with people that aren't your position group," Staley said. "He didn't want to go in there and see a bunch of offensive linemen sitting together, a bunch of DBs sitting together, a bunch of linebackers sitting together. He wanted everyone to mingle.
"And that was great; it brought us closer as a team and all that stuff. But he would also get his meals and, like, intermingle with different people's conversations."
His enthusiasm for the game of football and slightly goofy antics made Harbaugh a favorite with the 49ers Faithful, and Staley also said on the podcast he is and was a "huge Harbaugh fan" despite the coach's sometimes-prickly personality. But Harbaugh was fired following the 2014 NFL season after posting an impressive 44-19-1 record in four campaigns as San Francisco's head coach.
Both Harbaugh and the 49ers have found new beginnings, however, with the accomplished coach taking up the helm at Michigan and San Francisco finding plenty of success with Kyle Shanahan.
As for Staley, he's certainly enjoying his retirement -- and he'll always have fond memories with both coaches to look back on.
Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast
