Justin Herbert looking on (left). Jim Harbaugh speaking at conference (right).

Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Chargers landed the big fish of the 2024 NFL head coaching cycle in Jim Harbaugh — just two weeks after he led the Michigan Wolverines to a national championship game victory.

Harbaugh’s long-awaited return to the NFL comes nine years after he parted ways with the San Francisco 49ers, and nine years after he accepted the Wolverines’ head coaching vacancy. Fittingly enough, older brother John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens are on the Chargers’ 2024 slate of opponents.

 

Speaking on his show “The Herd with Colin Cowherd”, the veteran sports journalist said he spoke to Herbert about the new hire. According to Cowherd, the Chargers’ superstar signal-caller “is incredibly excited” about Harbaugh’s arrival.

Harbaugh will take over a highly-talented Chargers team that has consistently underachieved over the better part of the past two decades.

Despite all-world talents like Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates, Vincent Jackson, Shawne Merriman, Antonio Cromartie, Keenan Allen, Joey Bosa, Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler and Herbert, the Bolts have yet to make the Super Bowl in the 21st century.

 


In fact, the organization has only won five postseason games in this century. Two of those came in the 2007 season, and the last was the 2019 Wild Card Round against the Ravens.

Harbaugh rebuilt the 49ers into a force upon his arrival in 2011, leading them to three straight NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl appearance. We’ll see if he can bring the same level of fortunes to the Chargers.