Jim Harbaugh is likely going to have his pick of the litter when it comes to new opportunities in the NFL. It is expected that multiple organizations with vacancies have the reigning college football national championship head coach atop their big board.
However, only one franchise can be the first to get him on the phone.
Multiple sources say that will be the Chargers. Jim Harbaugh is set to meet with the brass in Los Angeles next week.
This should come as no surprise.
Jim Harbaugh to the Chargers feels like a lock.
By all accounts, there has long been a mutual interest between the Chargers and Harbaugh. At this point, it would be surprising if those two parties do not reach an agreement.
Atlanta, Las Vegas, Tennessee, Washington, Seattle and Carolina also have openings. Although they would likely be thrilled to interview Michigan’s head coach, the likelihood is slim that Harbaugh will end up with any of those six organizations.
The 60-year-old former NFL quarterback has a previously-established relationship with Chargers ownership. He played for the Spanos family in San Diego during the final two seasons of his career. He reportedly loves the idea of coaching a team that has a legitimate Super Bowl caliber quarterback in Justin Herbert.
According to Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, Harbaugh has “indicated to associates there’s a real possibility he could leave the University of Michigan to become Los Angeles’ head coach.”
The Raiders also continue weigh their options. They may want to pursue Harbaugh, but their players and people around the organization continue to push for Antonio Pierce.
Meanwhile, the Wolverines are trying their best to do whatever it takes to keep their national champion in Ann Arbor. There is always a chance that Harbaugh could bomb his NFL interviews or suddenly change his mind, but that seems unlikely.
Should things continue to trend in this direction, he will coach the Chargers next year.