Jim Harbaugh update: Chargers HC reveals illness that caused him to leave game

After dealing with a medical issue ahead of today’s game with the LA Chargers, Jim Harbaugh explained what happened to him pregame.

Following Los Angeles’ win on Sunday, Harbaugh shared with the media that he had an atrial flutter.

“I guess a minor – it’s called atrial flutter. I got into an episode today with it,” said Harbaugh. “Doctors checked me out and it got back into sinus rhythm, normal rhythm so came back.”

This diagnosis is nothing new as far as Harbaugh’s health. He noticed it at all considering his past problems with his heart, including at least one other instance when it took place around the time of a game when he was last in the NFL.

“I could tell there was some irregular beats,” said Harbaugh.

“Had a couple ablations – one in 1999 and one in 2012,” Harbaugh recalled. “I always remember the one in 2012 since it was during the Monday Night game…It wasn’t even during the game. After the game, I got checked out. Ended up having to have an ablation for that one because it didn’t go back into rhythm.”

While Harbaugh went off for personnel to further evaluate him, Jesse Minter, the Chargers’ defensive coordinator, took over as the acting head coach in his place. He then returned around halfway through the opening quarter against the Broncos. Los Angeles then went on to get a 23-16 at Mile High. It got closer than they hoped after leading at 23-0 going into the fourth quarter. Nonetheless, LA moved to 3-2 overall and 2-1 against the AFC West through five games in their first season under Harbaugh.

Based on his return and this update, Harbaugh is fine after coming back to his team’s sideline this afternoon in Denver. Most importantly to him, though, is that he now is undefeated in matchups when this has happened to him.

“2-0 with arrhythmias,” said Harbaugh to a laughing conference of reporters postgame.