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Chargers hire Harbaugh from Michigan as coach: Source

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Los Angeles Chargers owner Dean Spanos vowed in December that he would “reimagine” how his organization would approach “building and sustaining a championship-caliber program.” Consider that process again.

The Chargers are hiring Michigan's Jim Harbaugh as their coach, the team announced Wednesday.

For the first time since Norv Turner in 2007, the Chargers have hired a coach with previous NFL head coaching experience. They went shopping at the top of the market, among one of the most decorated and qualified pools of coaching candidates in the league's recent history. And they succeeded.

Harbaugh spent the past nine seasons at Michigan, a run that culminated in a national championship earlier this month. Previously, Harbaugh coached the San Francisco 49ers for four seasons, from 2011 to 2014. He compiled a 44-19-1 record while leading San Francisco to three straight NFC championship games, including a Super Bowl berth in 2012.

“My love for Michigan, playing there and coming back to coach there, leaves a lasting impact. I will always be a loyal Wolverine,” Harbaugh said in a statement. “I am remarkably fortunate to have been given the privilege of coaching in places where life's journey has created strong personal connections for me. From working as an assistant coach at Western Kentucky alongside my father, Jack, and time as an assistant with the Raiders, to being the head coach at USD, Stanford, the 49ers and Michigan – each of these opportunities had meaning and all felt personal . When I played for the Chargers, the Spanos family could not have been more friendly or welcoming. It feels like home to be back here, and it's great to see that those things haven't changed.”

The Chargers conducted their first interview with Harbaugh on January 15. He was interviewed for a second time on Tuesday, a league source said.

Harbaugh is a proven winner at both the college and NFL levels. He brings a cachet that will earn him immediate respect from players as soon as he steps into the building. He will demand a lot from the organization, but with this appointment the Chargers are saying quite publicly that they are ready for that responsibility, for those expectations.

The Chargers are entering their eighth season in LA. They have a franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert. Now is the time to take their place in this market. That is mainly what this appointment means.

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It is no longer an option to settle for mediocrity and the occasional fight. Perpetual Super Bowl contention is the goal. Winning is the final box the Chargers need to check to truly earn relevance in Los Angeles. The Spanos family invested in a premium candidate. They believe Harbaugh can lead them there.

“You don't accidentally build a resume like Jim's, and you don't do it alone,” said John Spanos, president of Football Operations. “You need a team. And no one in recent history has built a team more successfully and repeatedly than Jim Harbaugh. His former players swear by him, and his opponents swear by him. Jim is one of them, and we couldn't be more excited to have him back in the Chargers organization as our head coach.”

Michigan went 15-0 under Harbaugh in 2023, beating Ohio State for the third straight year and winning the Big Ten title. The Wolverines defeated Alabama in the Rose Bowl before toppling Washington 34-13 in the national championship.

In nine years, Harbaugh led Michigan to an 89-25 record and eight bowl game appearances.

During Michigan's championship parade, athletic director Warde Manuel led a standing ovation for Harbaugh, telling the crowd in Ann Arbor, “I'm working to get this man a new contract.” I promise you.”

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Harbaugh's contract with the Wolverines runs through 2026. He has received a lot of interest from the NFL over the years, having talked to the Minnesota Vikings and the Denver Broncos in the past two recruiting cycles. Harbaugh also interviewed for the Falcons' coaching job on Jan. 16.

The Chargers fired former coach Brandon Staley and former general manager Tom Telesco on Dec. 15, hours after an embarrassing loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on national television. Telesco spent 11 seasons with the organization. Staley lasted three seasons.

Harbaugh's hiring ends a lengthy and far-reaching coaching search for the Chargers.

Spanos said in December that the team would “cast a wide net,” and the Chargers complied. The organization interviewed fifteen candidates from a variety of backgrounds: former NFL coaches, former college coaches and current NFL coordinators.

They chose Harbaugh, a coach who does have a history with the franchise – as a player. Harbaugh signed with San Diego in 1999 to back up Ryan Leaf and ultimately started 17 games between 1999 and 2000. The Chargers were the last team he played a game for; he signed contracts with the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers in 2001, but did not play in any games for either team.

The next step: hiring a general manager. Some names to keep an eye on include New York Giants assistant GM Brandon Brown, Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz and Chicago Bears co-director of player personnel Jeff King.

What Harbaugh's departure means for Michigan

Michigan has had plenty of time to think about life without Harbaugh. His name has been prominent on the NFL coaching carousel for the past three years, and now his long-awaited departure has become a reality. For any coach, duplicating Michigan's success over the past three seasons will be difficult, if not impossible, but Harbaugh leaves the program with a natural successor in offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore and positive momentum from the run to the national championship of this year.

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Harbaugh also leaves Michigan with NCAA baggage. While the extent of the penalties has yet to be determined, the program will likely face additional sanctions in 2024 related to two NCAA investigations that took place under Harbaugh's watch. That does not make the job any easier for Harbaugh's successor.

Promoting Moore, who went 4-0 as Michigan's head coach during Harbaugh's suspensions, would allow Michigan to maintain some degree of continuity and keep some of the program's infrastructure in place. Replacing the head coach and so many key contributors from the 2023 team will be a huge challenge for Michigan, but that national championship trophy will look good in Schembechler Hall. — Austin Meek, Michigan staff writer

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(Photo: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

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