The Los Angeles Chargers are entering a new chapter with Jim Harbaugh making the shots from the sidelines. After winning it all with Michigan at the college level, Harbaugh brings new hope to a franchise and a star QB in Justin Herbert.
However, there’s an additional layer to the Harbaugh story as his NFL return signals the possible return of an exciting matchup that made headlines back in 2013.
Chargers and the Harbaugh Bowl
Adam Schefter recently reports that Harbaugh’s squad will face the Baltimore Ravens in 2023, which reunites him with his brother John.
The Chargers are scheduled to play the Baltimore Ravens next season at SoFi Stadium, which now officially will be a matchup between John and Jim Harbaugh. pic.twitter.com/xlgATlRz5I
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 24, 2024
With the current state of the two teams, it’s hard to imagine the Chargers putting up a competitive game against the Ravens. Jim Harbaugh’s new team finished the 2023 season with a dismal 5-12 record in spite of solid QB play from Herbert. Meanwhile, the Ravens are tipped favorites against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game.
However, it’s not hard to imagine Harbaugh pulling off a miracle and make this game an entertaining affair for fans and neutrals alike.
The first Harbaugh Bowl
The biggest stage the two brothers faced each other was during Super Bowl 47 in 2013. Jim was then the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers while John had Joe Flacco under center. Their brotherly faceoff was the center of all attention during the leadup to the February 4 game, and the game was quite a watch.
Despite the Niners’ best efforts with Colin Kaepernick and Frank Gore pulling their weight, Joe Flacco’s 287 yards and three passing TDs helped the Ravens edge San Francisco in this game.
A homecoming for Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh is thankful for the opportunity to be on the sidelines for the Chargers. He played his last years as a pro with the team back when they were still in San Diego, and he relishes the chance to bring them back to relevance.
As reported on WFLX.com, he’s eager to get started on retooling the team to make a deep playoff run.
He had this to say in his statement:
“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. 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.”
However, he has quite a job ahead of him to transform a mediocre offense and defense into an exciting squad of players.
