Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh randomly blasted by college coach

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh just enjoyed a breakout season with the team, turning a “rebuild” year into a playoff berth before an offseason of roster turnover boosted by massive cap space. 

But the past beckons, it seems. 

This week, University of Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema took a shot at Harbaugh on social media. Bielema bemoaned Harbaugh leaving the college level for the pros, writing the following: “Was looking forward to playing but understand why you ran to the NFL.”

Naturally, the comment came in response to a video of Harbaugh during his time with the San Francisco 49ers saying that “if you cheat to win, then you’ve already lost.”

The sign-stealing saga around Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines that helped result in him serving a pair of suspensions during the 2023 season (one self-imposed due to recruiting violations, the other as leveled punishment) is far from over. Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reported this week that Michigan will fight the NCAA on the allegations. 

Harbaugh has moved on, clearly, but little shots like this will keep coming as the saga continues to unfold. Bielema taking the time to shoot like this on social media is a little strange, but not wholly unexpected, either.