Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh is reportedly “within striking distance” of reaching a deal with the Los Angeles Chargers.
NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo said Tuesday “We’re now in the zone where something could happen between the Chargers and Jim Harbaugh in the near future,” as the two sides are set to meet for a second time.
Garafolo also added that the Chargers have made an extremely strong financial offer to Harbaugh and are at the point where they are discussing staffing issues like who the general manager might be and who would join Harbaugh on the coaching staff.
This is of course not the first report of Harbaugh potentially having interest in an NFL gig. After the 2021 season in which Harbaugh got the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff for the first time, the former Michigan quarterback reportedly flew to Minnesota to meet with the Vikings, but couldn’t come to an agreement. Then after the 2022 season and a second straight loss in the CFP, Harbaugh reportedly interviewed virtually with the Denver Broncos and also drew interest from other teams, but ultimately decided to run it back in Ann Arbor.
Now after winning the national championship with the Wolverines, Harbaugh’s interest in jumping back to the NFL has seemingly hit a fever pitch.
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Harbaugh joined Michigan in 2014 after a successful run with the San Francisco 49ers, leading the franchise to the Super Bowl in just his second season. He followed the Super Bowl appearance with another 12-4 season but went just 8-8 in his fourth year and parted ways with the 49ers, eventually signing with Michigan, his alma mater.
Since winning the national championship, Harbaugh has made a couple of different public appearances outside of Ann Arbor, first attending a March for Life rally in Washington D.C. and then going to his brother John Harbaugh’s playoff game and watching him coach the Baltimore Ravens while sporting a Ravens hat.
While we’ve certainly seen Harbaugh flirt with the NFL before, Garafolo’s report seems to indicate this time is different for a variety of reasons.
“This has felt like Harbaugh has had his eyes locked on returning to the NFL and this could be the move in the near future – to Los Angeles, back to California where he’s coached before, where he’s played before, where he’d be comfortable,” Garafolo said.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jim Harbaugh given ‘extremely strong offer financially’ by Chargers
