The 2024 Jim Harbaugh sweepstakes may be nearing its end.
Weeks after he led Michigan to its first undisputed college football national title in 75 years, Harbaugh is reportedly within “striking distance” of a deal that would bring him back to the NFL and to the West Coast to become the next head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.
The news was first reported by NFL Media.
This is the third straight head coaching cycle in which Harbaugh interviewed with NFL teams. He interviewed for the Minnesota Vikings job that went to Kevin O’Connell in 2022 and the Denver Broncos job that went to Sean Payton in 2023. Harbaugh also interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons in recent days.
NFL Media reports the Chargers made an “extremely strong offer financially” to Harbaugh and that the team and coach are discussing potential front-office executives and other coaches who could fill out his staff.
Harbaugh would be the rare head coach making the jump from college to the professional ranks after already establishing a strong track record in the NFL. After landing the San Francisco 49ers job in 2011, Harbaugh took a franchise that had failed to record a winning season in nine years and led them to three straight NFC Championship Games, including a Super Bowl appearance after the 2012 season in which the Niners lost to a Baltimore Ravens squad coached by Jim’s older brother John Harbaugh.
Jim Harbaugh went 44-19 in the regular season with the 49ers before leaving to coach his alma mater, Michigan, in 2015. He could be entering a desirable situation with the Chargers, who boast a talented, veteran-heavy roster led by a star quarterback in Justin Herbert. L.A. reached the playoffs only once in three years under previous head coach Brandon Staley, however.
That appearance ended with the Chargers blowing a 27-0 lead in last year’s wild-card round against the Jacksonville Jaguars. L.A. sunk to 5-12 this season, with Staley and general manager Tom Telesco fired Dec. 15, one day after the…
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Publish date : 2024-01-23 18:38:09
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