Jim Harbaugh evaluates first season with Los Angeles Chargers, Justin Herbert's performance

Jim Harbaugh had a heck of a 2024, as he led the Los Angeles Chargers to an 11-6 season and the playoffs in his first season with the franchise.

It was a successful campaign, but the former Michigan Wolverines leader wants more in 2025. With quarterback Justin Herbert leading the way, Harbaugh took some time during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday to evaluate his first season in Los Angeles, and where the team will go from here.

“Super excited about version 2.0 with the team,” Harbaugh stated, regarding the future of his Chargers team. “I mean, we did not achieve the ultimate success. I mean, there’s only one team that’s happy in the NFL right now, and that’s the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Regarding Justin, he’s everything that we thought he was. All of us, I mean, why we’re here, is to level up. Level up our game. Just getting up every single morning, we’ve got to level up. For Justin, for Derwin [James], for Khalil [Mack], for Joey [Bosa], for Rashawn Slater. I mean, incredible group of guys.

“Didn’t get the ultimate success, but there was some. There was definitely unmitigated success along the way. Keep building. Build, build, build. Get better, better, better.”

It’s certainly like Harbaugh to not be satisfied with the Chargers’ performance in 2024. While they reached double-digit wins, the ultimate goal wasn’t achieved on winning the Super Bowl, and their loss to the Houston Texans didn’t sit well, especially with how the offense performed in the showdown.

Regardless, it never felt like a one-year, Super Bowl-caliber turnaround was in the cards for Los Angeles, and that’s alright. That wasn’t the case at Michigan, and Harbaugh eventually turned them into the best team in all of college football. He’s hoping it doesn’t take nine seasons though, like it did in Ann Arbor.

Moving forward, the AFC West won’t be getting any easier, as Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs will be hoping to bounce back from their loss in the Super Bowl, and Sean Payton’s Denver Broncos are looking to get back to the go further than they did in 2024.

Additionally, the Las Vegas Raiders seem to be on the up and up, with Pete Carroll calling the shots in 2025, Harbaugh’s old nemesis.

Time will tell what the future holds for Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers, but he certainly has the NFL’s attention. 2025 could be a fruitful second season for the coach, and all signs are pointing towards success.