Jim Harbaugh picks up $1 million bonus for Los Angeles Chargers clinching playoff berth
With the Los Angeles Chargers now playoff-bound following a win over the New England Patriots on Saturday afternoon, few have it better than head coach Jim Harbaugh. And his pocketbook is doing well, too.
By clinching one of the AFC’s wildcard slots — Kansas City has won the AFC West already — Harbaugh has the Chargers in the tournament and triggered a big bonus, as he’s set to earn $1 million for making it to the postseason, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That’s on top of his already hefty reported base salary of $16 million annually.
So it’s a safe bet the cross-country flight from New England back to the West Coast will be a contented one for Harbaugh and Co.
And his team on the field has given him plenty of reason to be content, too.
Los Angeles is 10-6 with one game remaining, and has been a team reborn largely due to a rapid defensive turnaround, led by coordinator Jesse Minter, who came with Harbaugh from Michigan. That unit entered the day ranked No. 2 in the NFL in points per game and No. 17 in yards allowed. A 40-7 win on Saturday will do little to harm those figures.
And while the offense hasn’t been gangbusters, quarterback Justin Herbert appears to have a newfound confidence and conviction to his play and the run game has begun to evolve and progress.
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It’s been a stark departure from the 5-12 mark that Los Angeles posted in 2023. And it’s hardly the first time Harbaugh has headed up one of these turnarounds.
With the Chargers clinching the playoffs on Saturday, Harbaugh becomes the first head coach in the Super Bowl era to take two teams with losing records the prior year to the playoffs in his first year as head coach, according to the AP’s Josh Dubow. He took the San Francisco 49ers to the playoffs in 2011, his first year as head coach there.
The Chargers finish the 2024 regular season at the Las Vegas Raiders. A win would push Los Angeles to 11-6, the best win-loss mark for the franchise since the team went 12-4 in 2018. The Chargers are also seeking a playoff win for the first time since that season. This will also be Los Angeles’ first playoff appearance since 2022.