Jim Harbaugh is back in the NFL as The Los Angeles Chargers new coach. The announcement was made on Wednesday shortly after Harbaughs initial interview with the team on January 16. In a statement released by the Chargers, Harbaugh shared his excitement and gratitude at returning to the team that he had previously played in.
“I’m remarkably fortunate to have been afforded the privilege of coaching at 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 a head coach at USD, Stanford, the 49ers and Michigan — each of those opportunities carried significance, each felt personal,” said Harbaugh.
“When I played for the Chargers, the Spanos family could not have been more gracious or more welcoming. Being back here feels like home, and it’s great to see that those things haven’t changed,” he continued.
Harbaugh had previously successfully coached at various college football teams including the University of San Diego, Stanford, Michigan State, and the San Francisco 49ers. Following his seven-year departure from the NFL, Harbaugh had recently shown signs of wanting to make a return. Luckily for the Chargers, who had been eyeing Harbaugh as a potential coach candidate, the opportunity fell right into his hands.
In addition to Harbaugh’s statement, Chargers Owner and Chairman of the Board Dean Spanos and President of Football Operations John Spanos, released separate statements welcoming Harbaugh back to the team.
“Jim Harbaugh is football personified, and I can think of no one better to lead the Chargers forward,” said Dean. “The son of a coach, brother of a coach and father of a coach who himself was coached by names like Schembechler and Ditka, for the past two decades Jim has led hundreds of men to success everywhere he’s been — as their coach. And today, Jim Harbaugh returns to the Chargers, this time as our coach. Who has it better than us?”
“His former players swear by him, and his opponents swear at him. Jim is one of one, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him back in the Chargers organization as our head coach,” said John.
Besides Harbaugh, the Chargers had interviewed 15 other former coaches according to CBS Sports, including former Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, and former Stanford head coach David Shaw. Now, the Chargers are in search of a general manager after firing its previous general manager Tom Telesco.
