There’s plenty of excitement in Los Angeles after Jim Harbaugh was named as the Chargers’ next head coach fresh off of leading Michigan to an undefeated season and a national championship win. As the Bolts now have a proven winner at the helm that’s shown he can get it done at the college and NFL level throughout his career.
Harbaugh’s last stint in the league was in San Fransisco, where he led the 49ers to three NFC Championship appearances and one Super Bowl appearance in his four seasons as their head coach.
During that time Harbaugh coached tight end Vernon Davis, who recently joined Chris Long on radio row for Super Bowl LVIII and revealed a hilarious story about his time in San Francisco that perfectly depicts Harbaugh’s eccentric personality and lets the Chargers’ players know a little bit more about their new head coach.
“I mean one day he came out and he was suited from head to toe: cleats, helmet, shoulder pads,” Davis said. “And he went out and he was with the number two offense and he was out there just slinging it man. It was crazy.”
Harbaugh has been seen before Michigan games and throughout his coaching career with gloves on throwing passes to his players and even wearing cleats on a plane. But completely suiting up for practice takes things to a whole other level.
Harbaugh was the Wolverines’ quarterback in the 80s which was followed by a lengthy career in the NFL, throwing for 26,288 yards and 129 touchdown passes in his 15-year career. As Long asked Davis if the former gunslinger still had some game while running the 49ers scout team a decade ago.
“Yeah! It was the most hilarious thing I’ve ever seen, I was like this guy’s hilarious man,” Davis said.
There’s no question that Harbaugh’s head coaching methods are unconventional. But there’s also no denying his track record, coaching a multitude of winning teams throughout his career all highlighted by physicality and togetherness.
“Yeah I knew right away that he was going to be around for a while because of his energy and enthusiasm. I mean he what he was talking about, he was talking about plays and how he was going to design them for the tight ends, the wide receivers,” Davis explained.
“He didn’t feel like a coach, he felt like a teammate, he gelt like a teammate that was calling the shots. And I knew there was something special about him and he has this unique ability to be able to get guys to rally behind him.”
The Chargers are hoping that Harbaugh’s unique style and track record can translate to Los Angeles, who finished last season 5-12. With a chance that the new head coach could even help the team in more ways than just coaching if he decides to dust off his pads once again at practice.
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