Jim Harbaugh recalls how difficult leaving Michigan was

Jim Harbaugh spent nine seasons in Ann Arbor coaching at Michigan. He rebuilt the Wolverines into a national powerhouse that compiled 40 wins over the past three years — but decided to leave to take the head coaching position for the Los Angeles Chargers.

While he’s looking at what’s ahead, Harbaugh took a moment to reflect on what he left behind in Ann Arbor, and why he decided to take the Chargers job on top of the college football world.

“Yeah, it was. I love these guys. All the players there, all the other guys we recruited,” Harbaugh said during a recent appearance on Pardon My Take. “The coaches, you know, just everybody. Like, I love you guys. And there’s another thing where, ‘Okay, here’s a challenge.’ Here’s somebody (the Chargers) who likes what you do and and how you do it. It’s presenting you with this challenge, and whether it’s a blessing or a curse, it’s kind of always been in me, like let me see if I’m up to that.”

The 60-year-old Harbaugh is fresh off leading Michigan to its first national title since 1997. He last coached in the NFL in 2014 with the San Francisco 49ers. He spent four seasons in San Francisco (2011-14), going 44-19 with a Super Bowl XLVII appearance.

Harbaugh is the fifth-winningest head coach in NFL history by win percentage, trailing only Guy Chamberlain, John Madden, Vince Lombardi and George Allen.

Harbaugh himself is looking for his first Super Bowl championship, the one thing which has eluded him in his coaching career. It seems like a perfect storm for him to come together with the Chargers, as they’re looking for their first-ever Super Bowl win themselves.

Now that he’s won it all at the collegiate level — and as much as he loved his time at Michigan — time is ticking when it comes to taking home the Lombardi Trophy

“There are only so many sands left in the hourglass,” he said. “So yeah, I want a shot at that. Let’s see if we can stand up to that. It’s been hard.”

Los Angeles is fresh off a 5-12 season, finishing last in the AFC West. With Harbaugh leading the charge, they’ll look to improve right away during the 2024-25 season. The Chargers begin are going to begin the new season on Sunday, Sept. 8 at home against AFC West division rival Las Vegas Raiders in SoFi Stadium.