Jim Harbaugh

**Jim Harbaugh** (born December 23, 1963) is an American football coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League & former head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, the team representing the University of Michigan from 2015 to 2023. Before returning to Michigan, where he had played in college, he coached the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League to a Super Bowl. Harbaugh is also a former NFL quarterback.

## Football career

Harbaugh was previously a quarterback in the NFL, and had a mediocre playing career in the 1990s. After his playing days were over, Harbaugh became a coach. He was notably the head coach of the Stanford Cardinal in college football. Harbaugh was known for his energetic style. He was then hired by the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL to be their head coach.

In a game against the Detroit Lions (49ers win), a postgame handshake made national news. In the game, Harbaugh challenged a scoring play. However, under NFL rules, scoring plays are always reviewed. Detroit coach Jim Schwartz reportedly screamed a curse. After San Francisco won, the coaches went to midfield to shake hands. However, Schwartz accused Harbaugh of "smacking his back and shaking his hand too hard." Shartz chased Harbaugh down the field, and they had to be separated. This is often called "The Handshake Game."

Harbaugh later led the San Francisco 49ers to the NFC Championship. He won the NFL Coach of the Year award for taking a struggling team (and quarterback, in Alex Smith) and taking them deep into the playoffs. Jim also adopted a chant used by his father. It has regularly been referenced in the 49ers' locker rooms. It goes: "_Whooo's_ got it better than us?" Answer: _Nooooobody!_

He left the 49ers after the 2014 NFL season and returned to Michigan as the Wolverines' new head coach.

## Personal

Jim Harbaugh is part of the famous Harbaugh coaching tree that includes father Jack Harbaugh and older brother John Harbaugh.

## Sources

1. Much Ado About a Handshake-New York Times
1. Jim Harbaugh is your coach of the year-Pro Football Talk.com
1. Jim Harbaugh to San Francisco 49ers-ESPN

## Infobox (nfl biography)

- **name**: Jim Harbaugh
- **image**: File:PAB FBC atWisconsin2017 14 (38541740731).jpg
- **image size**: 240px
- **caption**: Harbaugh during the 2017 season
- **current team**: Los Angeles Chargers
- **position**: Head coach
- **birth place**: Toledo, Ohio
- **height ft**: 6
- **height in**: 2
- **weight lbs**: 215
- **high school**: Palo Alto High School, Palo Alto (Palo Alto, California)
- **college**: Michigan Wolverines football, Michigan
- **draftyear**: 1987
- **draftround**: 1
- **draftpick**: 26
- **pastteams**: *Chicago Bears (–)
*Indianapolis Colts (–)
*1998 Baltimore Ravens season, Baltimore Ravens ()
*San Diego Chargers (–)
*Detroit Lions ()*
*Carolina Panthers ()
- **pastteamsnote**: yes
- **pastcoaching**: *Oakland Raiders (2002 Oakland Raiders season, 2002–2003 Oakland Raiders season, 2003) (QB)
*San Diego Toreros football, San Diego (2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season, 2004–2006 NCAA Division I FCS football season, 2006)
*Stanford Cardinal football, Stanford (2007 Stanford Cardinal football team, 2007–2010 Stanford Cardinal football team, 2010)
*San Francisco 49ers (2011 San Francisco 49ers season, 2011–2014 San Francisco 49ers season, 2014)
*Michigan Wolverines football, Michigan (2015 Michigan Wolverines football team, 2015-2023)
*Los Angeles Chargers (2024 Los Angeles Chargers season, 2024–present)
- **highlights**: **As head coach:**
*Big Ten Conference, Big Ten East Division co-champion (2018 Big Ten Conference football season, 2018)
*NFC Champion (2012)
*National Football League Coach of the Year Award, NFL Coach of the Year (2011)
*Woody Hayes Trophy (2010)
*2× Pioneer Football League, Pioneer League champion (2005, 2006)
*2× NCAA Division I FCS Consensus Mid-Major Football National Championship, NCAA Division 1 FCS Mid-Major National Champion (2005, 2006)
**As player:**
*Pro Bowl (1996 Pro Bowl, 1995)
*National Football League Comeback Player of the Year Award, NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1995)
*UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year, AFC Offensive Player of the Year (1995)
*Indianapolis Colts Ring of Honor
*Chicago Tribune Silver Football, Big Ten Most Valuable Player (1986)
*1986 Fiesta Bowl, Fiesta Bowl Champion (1986)
*3rd in Heisman Trophy Voting (1986)
- **statlabel1**: Touchdown, TD–Interception, INT
- **statvalue1**: 129–117
- **statlabel2**: Passing yards
- **statvalue2**: 26,288
- **statlabel3**: Passer rating
- **statvalue3**: 77.6
- **nfl**: HAR004303
- **coachregrecord**: 44–19–1 () (NFL)
96–41 () (college)
- **coachplayoffrecord**: 5–3 () (NFL)
2–4 () (college)
- **coachrecord**: 49–22–1 () (NFL)
96-41 () (college)