Jim Harbaugh on '15-0' tattoo, Michigan ring ceremony: 'Wonderful'

Former Michigan Wolverines football head coach Jim Harbaugh led the Maize and Blue to a 15-0 national championship winning season in 2023. He promised during the season that he’d get a ’15-0′ tattoo if the Wolverines went undefeated, and he delivered on it by getting inked while in Ann Arbor for an April 20 ring ceremony.

Michigan received four rings — two for the national title (one from the school and one from the CFP), one for the Rose Bowl championship and another for the Big Ten title.

“They’re great — beautiful rings,” Harbaugh said at a press conference. “It was a great way to just bring it back, be with everybody again. It was just incredible, an incredible day. Everybody at Michigan … and [head coach] Sherrone Moore, he puts on those events now. He did an incredible job, and it was just a wonderful thing.”

Harbaugh said while receiving the tattoo that he’s “impervious to pain,” and noted last week that the “healing process” was a breeze.

“It healed right from the beginning,” Harbaugh revealed. “There was no healing process. It was just good to go right from the beginning.

“Everybody seems to like it. The family likes it, the kids like it. Everybody … it’s been unanimous, 100-percent support. The kids said it makes me look younger, so I’ll take it.”

Jim Harbaugh: Junior Colson’s knowledge of defensive system ‘an incredible thing’

The Chargers held their rookie minicamp May 10-12, which included four former Michigan players that Harbaugh and Co. brought into the organization. Los Angeles drafted linebacker Junior Colson No. 69 overall in the third round and picked wide receiver Cornelius Johnson in the seventh. They signed offensive lineman Karsen Barnhart as an undrafted free agent, and cornerback German Green is with the team for minicamp.

Colson is competing for a starting job on a defense that is run by his former Michigan defensive coordinator, Jesse Minter. Line coach Mike Elston, defensive assistant Dylan Roney and secondary coach Steve Clinkscale are also on the staff. It’s no surprise his knowledge of the defense is ahead of the other rookies.

“Junior knows the defense so well,” the former Michigan coach said. “It’s such an incredible thing. I’m not saying he’s going to be wearing any dots or anything any time soon — probably not the first year — but he is literally making all the calls. He’s making all the linebacker calls, he’s making DB calls right now.

“The safeties that are making calls are getting them mostly right. I’d give them an ‘A,’ but the ones that they miss on, Junior will just make the call and correct the call for the safeties, which is awesome. 

“Meeting with the linebackers, [position coach] NaVorro [Bowman] would ask the questions and Junior would give the right answer. And then it finally got to the point — ’somebody other than Junior answer this next question.’ So it’s safe to say he knows it, he’s on it and it’s a great thing for our team.”

Colson has a unique path to the NFL. He was born in Haiti, before being adopted by Steve and Melanie Colson, who reside in the Nashville area. Colson grew up playing soccer but transitioned to football, which accelerated his acclimation to America. He’s now one of the most prized rookies in the sport. Harbaugh was asked how the former Michigan linebacker’s journey has molded him into the player he’s become.

“I would just say about everybody, every player that’s made it to the highest level, welcome to the 2024 Charger locker room,” Harbaugh said. “Everybody that got here earned it, worked for it, had to take whatever their life circumstances were and turn those into success. And that’s all of our responsibility. Whatever hand you’re dealt, whatever circumstances you have, it’s your personal responsibility to take your circumstances and turn those into success.

“I just commend all the rookies, all those players who are now at the highest level of football with this incredible opportunity in front of them. Congratulations, welcome. Competitors welcomed. That’s what makes it that kind of day. It’s not just another day. It’s today, because of the incredible journeys — you salute that — that each and every one of these guys has traveled to get to this point.”

Playing for Jim Harbaugh in NFL gives Cornelius Johnson comfort

Johnson said continuing to play for Harbaugh has given him a level of comfort in the early going as an NFL rookie.

“I played with him throughout my whole college career,” Johnson said. “He recruited me, has been over to Greenwich [Connecticut] before, been over to my hometown, seen my parents and everything. It’s just amazing how that all plays out. And then having his staff and him here is definitely something that just motivates me every day.”

Johnson called it a beautiful thing that he and Harbaugh both went from Michigan to Los Angeles.

When asked to pinpoint the best piece of advice Harbaugh has given him over the years, Johnson said a long list of items come to mind.

“He’s given us great advice throughout the years,” the wideout explained. “Even today, he was preaching us to stay in the moment. Get your sleep, stay in the moment, show up on time. Really just the simple stuff.

“There are so many examples of Coach Harbaugh’s stories and what he brings to the table. I would say something he was focusing on today was how today is just a big day. It was the first day, and let’s just have a smooth day. That’s some good advice, a good reminder.”