Jim Harbaugh’s Reported Contract Shows Chargers Were All In on Former Michigan Coach
The Los Angeles Chargers made little secret of their desire to hire Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, successfully snatching the Wolverines boss away from his alma mater—and reportedly paid a hefty price to do so.
Harbaugh will be paid $16 million to chase the Chargers' first Super Bowl ring, according to a Tuesday evening report from Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.
welcome home, coach pic.twitter.com/PNuVXpSbmk
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) January 29, 2024
Florio described Harbaugh's five-year, $80 million deal as having been handed out by a Los Angeles organization "stung by the perception that they’re cheap."
The ex-San Francisco 49ers coach’s winning percentage of .695 from 2011-14 ranks fifth in NFL history. All four of the names in front of Harbaugh on that list—Guy Chamberlin, John Madden, Vince Lombardi and George Allen—are in the Hall of Fame.
Harbaugh coached Michigan to the national championship in 2023, despite sitting out six games due to suspensions associated with allegations of illegal pandemic-era recruiting and in-person scouting against the Wolverines.