Jim Harbaugh leaving Michigan for NFL’s Chargers: ‘I’ll always be a loyal Wolverine’

Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh, who earlier this month led the Wolverines to a national championship, his crowning achievement during nine years with the program, is leaving his alma mater to return to the NFL, where he will coach the Los Angeles Chargers.

Harbaugh, 60, a former Michigan and NFL quarterback, was a first-round NFL Draft pick by Chicago in 1987 and spent two seasons (1999-2000) late in his career with the Chargers and made 17 starts.

“My love for Michigan, playing there and coming back to coach there, leaves a lasting impact,” Harbaugh said in a statement on the Chargers website. “I’ll always be a loyal Wolverine. I’m remarkably fortunate to have been afforded the privilege of coaching at places where life’s journey has created strong personal connections for me. From working as an assistant coach at Western Kentucky alongside my father, Jack, and time as an assistant with the Raiders, to being a head coach at USD, Stanford, the 49ers and Michigan — each of those opportunities carried significance, each felt personal. When I played for the Chargers, the Spanos family could not have been more gracious or more welcoming. Being back here feels like home, and it’s great to see that those things haven’t changed.”

He is expected to speak to the Michigan players on Friday, a source told The Detroit News.

“For the fans, the players, and for me personally, we are sad to hear of Jim’s departure,” University of Michigan president Santa Ono said in a statement. “His drive and ambition turned our program around, delivered our first national championship in a quarter century and maintained Michigan as the all-time winningest team in the history of college football. I thank Jim for all he has done for the University of Michigan and respect his decision. He has been an extraordinary leader and a friend. I will be cheering for Jim as he embarks on this next adventure.”

While mulling a contract extension offer from Michigan of six years and $11.5 million annually that would have made him the nation’s highest-paid college football coach, Harbaugh interviewed with the Chargers on Jan. 15, a week after the 15-0 Wolverines won the national championship with a 34-13 win over Washington on Jan. 8 and two days after a parade for the team in Ann Arbor and a celebration at the Crisler Center. It always seemed to be Chargers-or-Bust for Harbaugh, who also interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons on Jan. 16 and reportedly was scheduled for a second interview this week.

“We have been discussing a new contract that would make Jim the highest paid coach in college football,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement. “In the end, he wanted to explore and ultimately decided to pursue a return to coaching in the NFL. We can’t thank Jim enough for all that he has done for our student-athletes, staff and Michigan Football. He will always be a huge part of our rich history, and will be remembered as an all-time great Wolverine, as both a championship player and coach.

“Jim has always been extremely upfront with his communication regarding NFL opportunities and has been helpful with this transition in leadership. We had a great conversation tonight when he informed me of this decision to return to the NFL and offered his assistance in helping identify the needs for the program moving forward.”

Michigan Regent Sarah Hubbard said in a statement Wednesday night that there was considerable effort to try to keep Harbaugh at Michigan.

“We put so much support on the table and did everything we could,” Hubbard said. “But at the end of the day, we can’t give him a Super Bowl ring. I hope he goes out and wins one and make us proud.”

Harbaugh’s attorneys, who had been trying to work with Michigan to keep him in Ann Arbor, said, however, it took until the proverbial 11th hour on Wednesday for Michigan to give in on certain contract language. By then, it was too late. After months of Michigan rejecting the contract terms his lawyers proposed in late 2023, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told The Detroit News that Michigan finally agreed to Harbaugh’s proposal on Wednesday afternoon when Harbaugh was already in the final stage of discussions with the Chargers.

The Michigan football program and Harbaugh are involved in two NCAA investigations, one for which Harbaugh faces a Level I violation for misleading investigators and the other for an alleged sign-stealing scheme of which Harbaugh has said he had no knowledge. His lawyers wanted contract language that would protect Harbaugh. Michigan finally “caved” on the major issue that had hung up the deal for months, the source said — that Harbaugh could not be fired for any Level I or II sanctions he might face based on the alleged misconduct of Connor Stalions, the low-level staffer who allegedly orchestrated the illegal scouting/sign-stealing scheme, or another member of his staff.

Now, Manuel will have to find Harbaugh’s successor, although there has been strong speculation offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Sherrone Moore, 37, who was 4-0 as acting head coach last season, with significant wins at Penn State and in the regular-season finale against Ohio State, will be elevated to head coach.

“We are working quickly to hire the next head coach for the program and will do everything possible to keep this current staff and team together,” Manuel said in a statement.

Harbaugh led the Michigan program to an 89-25 record. The Wolverines’ last three seasons were their most impressive as they went 40-3, including three consecutive Big Ten championships and three straight College Football Playoff semifinal appearances. Michigan lost in both of its first two semifinals before beating Alabama in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day and then Washington for the national title.

During Harbaugh’s Michigan coaching career, he led the Wolverines to six seasons with 10-plus victories and the last three with 12-plus wins: 12-2 in 2021, 13-1 in 2022 and 15-0 in 2023, a program-best, making Michigan one of four teams in college football to achieve that record.

But also since 2023, Michigan’s football program has been involved in two unresolved NCAA investigations, the first stemming, in part, from impermissible recruiting visits that led to Harbaugh missing the first three games as part of a school-imposed suspension. He missed the final three regular-season games because of a Big Ten suspension relating to an NCAA investigation into an illegal scouting/sign-stealing scheme. Harbaugh faces a Level I violation, the NCAA’s harshest, for the first investigation and a hearing before the Committee on Infractions is expected in the spring. He could face additional suspension and other penalties. Regarding the second investigation, Harbaugh has denied knowledge of an illegal sign-stealing scheme.

More:Who from Michigan football’s staff could follow Jim Harbaugh to the NFL?

That Harbaugh is returning to the NFL is not a complete surprise after flirtations the previous two seasons. He hired high-powered agent Don Yee, with deep NFL ties, early last December to work on negotiations with Michigan while also exploring interest from NFL teams. In 2022, Harbaugh flew to Minnesota for an interview but returned without an offer and signed an extension with Michigan through the 2026 season. And in 2023, he was in conversations with the Denver Broncos regarding their opening.

Harbaugh began his head-coaching career at the University of San Diego (2004-06) and finished with back-to-back 11-1 season. He then took over at Stanford (2007-10), and in 2010, the Cardinal went 11-1. But in 2011, Harbaugh left college coaching for the NFL and became head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, whom he led to three NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl after the 2012 season. He lost Super Bowl XLVII to his older brother, John Harbaugh, head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. Harbaugh had a 49-22-1 record with the 49ers, including 5-3 in the postseason.