NFL insider confirms Kevin Warren blocked Chicago Bears from contacting Jim Harbaugh

Jim Harbaugh, for all his football successes — and there are many — is perhaps not the easiest person in the world to work with. And it was not much of a secret that he and then-Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren didn’t get along when Harbaugh was coaching his alma mater, Michigan.

And whatever chasm exists between the two men apparently cut off an opportunity for Harbaugh and the Chicago Bears to reunite with the former quarterback now as head coach. That’s because, according to a report, Warren — now team president and CEO for the Bears — quashed the possibility of hiring Harbaugh this past January.

Harbaugh, now the coach with the Los Angeles Chargers, was apparently interested in coaching the Bears before Warren ultimately nixed that potential move, according to a report. Former NFL executive and current analyst Mike Lombardi said that’s exactly what happened while appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday.

“Look Kevin Warren’s running them team, let’s make no mistake about that,” Lombardi said. “You can sit there and say that somebody else is — he is. And that story that was written about Jim Harbaugh is completely true. Now remember, Warren and Harbaugh — Warren being the commissioner of the Big Ten and Harbaugh had some differences. And I think they let it spill over.”

It was no secret that Harbaugh wanted to return to the NFL and he almost did in years prior before finally making the jump in early 2024 after guiding Michigan to a national championship.

Along with the Bears, Lombardi said, the Raiders were also a strong consideration for Harbaugh. But like the Bears, Las Vegas didn’t show much interest.

And in hindsight, both the Bears and Raiders might want that decision back. Harbaugh has guided the Chargers firmly into wildcard contention in Year 1 in Los Angeles while the Raiders — in the same division — have floundered.

The Bears, meanwhile, recently fired head coach Matt Eberflus after a Thanksgiving clock management debacle in Detroit. It’s a move that would’ve had to happen to bring in Harbaugh in January, as Eberflus was still under contract. But in hindsight, Bears fans might’ve taken that to have Harbaugh overseeing the development of No. 1 pick and hopefully franchise quarterback Caleb Williams.

Instead, though, Warren apparently put the kibosh on the potential Harbaugh-Chicago reunion before it could even happen.

“But there were two teams that Jim Harbaugh would’ve loved to work for, I’m sure, last year: The Bears, who he played for, was the No. 1 pick for. And then the Las Vegas Raiders who we worked for in his first coaching job,” Lombardi said. “Neither team decided to go after him. Why? I don’t know. To me, if you’re Kevin Warren, the object of this is to get the best coach available. And Jim Harbaugh would’ve been the best coach for your team.”