Harbaugh and Chargers are in “striking distance” of getting a deal done, per Mike Garafolo
per Mike Garafolo of NFL Media
Harbaugh wanted the job last year, but it wasn’t open. He’s currently interviewing for the job a second time. As one league source tells PFT, “He wants it.”
Harbaugh is in LA today for another meeting with the team.
Let's hope PFT's reporting is wrong again.
January 23rd, 2024 at 5:29 PM ^
This is the problem.
Harbaugh’s buyout starts at $3 million in year one of the contract (Jan. 11, 2022 through Jan. 10, 2023). It drops by $750,000 per year until it reaches zero in year five.
That's chump change.
January 23rd, 2024 at 3:41 PM ^
Yes, and I am sure that some will find a way to blame that on Manuel...
January 23rd, 2024 at 4:15 PM ^
Well, I kinda wonder if that's what Harbaugh wants. I won't claim to know anything here, but I will anxiously await Jack Harbaugh channeling his inner Erick All Sr on Twitter.
January 23rd, 2024 at 3:47 PM ^
Things absolutely changed. Mich forced him to take the first 3 game suspension when he said he did not lie (there would have been no level 1 charges without the alleged lie). Then The Big 10 made him take another 3 even though it was noted that there was no evidence from the NCAA that he knew about what Stallions was doing, and the University folded its tent. Finally we know about the whole Jim Stapleton/Warde connection. If you don't think those factors are pertinent that occurred after the time that he made the statement, I don't know what to tell you.
January 23rd, 2024 at 3:18 PM ^
Imagine being so invested in something you don't have any tangible part of that you talk down about another man you don't personally know and potentially totally even once called for the head of for taking control of his own career and making a decision that he feels is best for himself and his family.
Thanks for the natty, Jim, and best of luck wherever you decide to be next.
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:44 PM ^
Sparty no!
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:54 PM ^
I was at SoFi on 11/12/23 and of 70,000 in attendance 40K of those were Lions fans easy.
There are still die hards from San Diego who make the journey - let's say 15K
So in the greater LA metroplex (15 million people) the Chargers are able to get roughly 15,000 to attend. If you are in a group of 1,000 people in LA - one of those people might go cheer for the Chargers.
January 23rd, 2024 at 2:31 PM ^
But to be fair go to Ann Arbor or Detroit and find 1000 random people. How many of them cheer for the Wolverines or Lions? Oh wait.....it's a hell of a lot more than 1.
January 23rd, 2024 at 4:03 PM ^
I actually really like the Chargers - and its been cool having their pre-season open practices only a few blocks from my house the past 2 seasons (they fully move to LA for this coming preseason), but the move from San Diego killed them as a franchise with a fanbase.
When they were 100% going to move, I always thought they should just take up Orange County as their new home instead of LA - who had the Rams and were already lukewarm on them since they aren't the Raiders.
Orange County would have given them the best of both worlds in many ways:
- ~40 miles closer to San Diego than SoFi Stadium (1-2 hours of driving saved right there)
- Access to arguably even wealthier fans (Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Laguna Beach, Irvine) than what LA provides
- Cheaper land for a stadium just for the team, where they'd actually control their revenue:
- Tustin (Tustin Legacy Area)
- Irvine (Great Park Area)
- Anaheim (Angel Stadium Area)
- Costa Mesa (Right Across From Their Current Practice Facility)
- The ability to actually have an identity as Orange County's football team instead of being "the other other other LA football team"
Instead, the Spanos family decided to be the team who has nothing but away games, no atmosphere at all, and no excitement despite having a potential megastar QB and some exciting players.
January 23rd, 2024 at 3:15 PM ^
Imagine being the coach of a team that doesn't need to continuously recruit every single player on the roster every year as well as incoming freshmen? And he can get 3-5 weeks after the season where he turns his cell phone off and spends it with his family instead of flying around the country wooing 17 year olds?
Most guys would leave for good NFL gigs with where college is right now.
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:26 PM ^
it'shappening.gif, the sad version?
January 23rd, 2024 at 2:18 PM ^
I'm still convinced it's actually happening. It seems like there's currently hurdles with LA in regards to contract details, Herbert wanting to keep Kellen Moore at OC, and how much control Jim wants. Not to mention I'm not sure the Chargers' roster is currently in a good shape for him to actually make a run right now
January 23rd, 2024 at 5:11 PM ^
I can't imagine anyone telling Jim Harbaugh who his OC is going to be. This makes me skeptical as hell of that news.
January 23rd, 2024 at 3:01 PM ^
shit'shappening.gif
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:27 PM ^
At some point, Harbaugh needs to make a decision. Especially with other big-name coaches connected to the job. Former Titans coach Mike Vrabel has interviewed for the job. Earlier today, we heard that former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is making a behind-the-scenes push for consideration.
So a 50-year-old guy, a 60-year-old guy, and a 70-year-old guy walk into an NFL team's facilities ...
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:27 PM ^
Whatever is happening, just pull the band-aid off already. Let's get some certainty going into next year. At this point they must have a contingency plan already in place, right? Throw the money that Jim passed on at keeping Moore (as HC) and the rest of the staff intact and avoiding a Bama-level outflow of talent.
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:31 PM ^
If Jim goes Minter will be on same flight!!
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:41 PM ^
Probably. Hopefully they have a plan for that as well.
January 23rd, 2024 at 2:44 PM ^
And if Moore is the head coach, should he also try to be the OC? Even Ryan Day has given up on that.
So . . . Michigan will likely need to replace its head coach, its DC, and its OC.
Other than that . . .
January 23rd, 2024 at 7:32 PM ^
Unless Michigan offers Minter:
A) the HC job -or-
B) a shit ton more money than the cheap ass Spanos'
So...🤷♂️
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:28 PM ^
What happened to staying at Michigan "as long as they'll have me"?
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:30 PM ^
The NCAA and the B1G happened. Nobody wants their future in the hands of arbitrary bureaucrats.
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:33 PM ^
If it's confirmed that he left because of the NCAA, there will be blood.
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:41 PM ^
Yep I expect a sternly-worded letter from Warde to the NCAA. That will show them!
January 23rd, 2024 at 2:11 PM ^
Whoa, whoah, whoah! Nobody in the Michigan AD is tossing out "J-Bombs"... Seriously though, I think the university has made it abundantly clear just how quickly they will roll over.
January 23rd, 2024 at 2:24 PM ^
The only blood will be from Warde biting his tongue. If Jim just wants to win a Super Bowl, then there is nothing we can do to keep his eye from wandering. Even so, the lack of vocal support from Warde over the years is frustrating. He is a passive AD and doesn't want to make any waves or noise. That probably doesn't play well with Jim.
January 23rd, 2024 at 4:24 PM ^
If he does leave, I kind of like the fact that he went out as a three time consecutive B1G champion and national champion as a big fuck you to the conference and the NCAA.
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:37 PM ^
What happened to his contract after the Covid year? Bottom line is, Harbaugh doesn’t trust Warde.
January 23rd, 2024 at 2:24 PM ^
Would you trust Warde??
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:41 PM ^
he's not sure they'll have him if the NCAA goes witch hunting
January 23rd, 2024 at 2:03 PM ^
He’s a liar.
January 23rd, 2024 at 2:07 PM ^
I noted last January that Harbaugh didn't want anything to do with serving a suspension and then he ended up serving 2 and getting told that there could be more. That on top of the TRO being squashed really upset Jim. He was clear to Warde about his expectations on that stuff, going all the way back to a year ago. Which you can confirm by going through my history. You can also confirm that way back before anyone else was mentioning the Chargers that I posted they had already contacted Jim during the season. They saw an in when Jim was suspended the first time and they really want to sign him. We'll see if it happens, but this has been numerous months in progress. Each time there was a set back at Michigan, it just helped the Chargers be able to press in just a bit more and get Harbaugh's attention.
January 23rd, 2024 at 3:16 PM ^
There's one thing I'm absolutely certain of: he'd rather spend gameday coaching his team than sitting on his brother's sofa watching it play without him.
If we can't offer that (or at least a clear commitment that everything in our power will be done), there isn't much else to discuss.
January 23rd, 2024 at 3:30 PM ^
You're painting a picture of the Chargers being so interested in him they're talking to him early this season. Meanwhile, the reality is they've interviewed 8 people for the job. They might hire him, but I don't think they're pressing in the way you think they are.
January 23rd, 2024 at 4:20 PM ^
You're painting a picture of the Chargers being so interested in him they're talking to him early this season.
That's because they did. I wish I knew how to go back in my posting history to provide a link but I can't figure it out. But the Chargers contacted him a while ago. They obviously interviewed other people for their due diligence and because of Harbaugh's demands. But they have always been pretty focused on him.
January 23rd, 2024 at 3:48 PM ^
He said that two years ago... then interviewed for NFL jobs last year.
It was a lie.
January 23rd, 2024 at 5:20 PM ^
His actions the last few years seemed to suggest that wasn’t entirely accurate.
January 23rd, 2024 at 7:35 PM ^
Asked & answered!
That was before Michigan suspended him for 3 games, and then Michigan roared that they'd go to any lengths to fight the B10 suspension, but instead turtled when their bluff was called.
I mean, you can see the difference, right?!
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:28 PM ^
Take your shot coach … you brought us back to prominence and won a National Championship… but you never can tell with insider reports lol !!!
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:29 PM ^
It's dangerous. If the Rams and Chargers meet in the Super Bowl, California will fall into the ocean.
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:32 PM ^
I'm not sure a single resident of LA would actually notice if those two teams played each other
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:57 PM ^
Like it or not, this is exactly the reason why NFL people love JH. He adds instant clickers and viewers to everything he does, both people who love him and haters. Even more now than ever. Mo money, mo money...
Now they can publicize just such a game, and others, where nobody much cared before. You think he was overexposed as a CFB coach, just wait until the more numerous NFL talking heads get their dirty mitts on him. The possibilities are endless.
January 23rd, 2024 at 2:37 PM ^
"This town's not big enough... Oh, wait a second..."
January 23rd, 2024 at 2:44 PM ^
"The Raiders moved from Oakland to Los Angeles and then back to Oakland. Nobody in LA seemed to notice."
January 23rd, 2024 at 7:40 PM ^
Southern California maybe. It's a big state!
We'll be ok up in NorCal...
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:31 PM ^
Congratulations to Harbaugh.
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:32 PM ^
Is the Harbaugh is coming/staying crowds undefeated mark in jeopardy? A perfect 9-0 so far. We shall see. I think he is on his way by days end tomorrow.
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:34 PM ^
I have been firmly in the keep Harbaugh camp. I believe that moving on is best for him and the university. He’s earned the option of going to the nfl. I thank him for his remaking the program successfully. We can’t keep going through this every year. It’s to the point it’s hurting us and time for him to leave. I wish him well!
January 23rd, 2024 at 1:51 PM ^
I’m not so sure it if best the University. While I understand the yearly NFL dalliances hurts some on the recruiting trail, I still think we are better off with Jim than without him.