Los Angeles Chargers fans aren't dumb. They knew when Jim Harbaugh jumped ship from coaching in the NCAA to returning to the NFL after a decade away that it wasn't because he missed the increased level of competition. No, everyone knew that Harbaugh was stepping down as Michigan's head coach, a job he was very good at, because the sanctions from the sign-stealing scandal were going to come down and essentially force him out.
Well, the sanctions have come down and Chargers fans don't have to worry about Harbaugh being tempted by a return to college athletics. That's because, according to Cody Nagel and Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, Harbaugh's punishment is "A 10-year show-cause order, restricting him from all athletically related activities during the show-cause period, which will begin on Aug. 7, 2028, at the conclusion of his four-year show-cause order from a previous case. "
Jim Harbaugh's punishment practically guarantees he won't be leaving Chargers anytime soon
Harbaugh had to know that the punishment he received would be huge so he was getting out while he still could. The Chargers were happy to bring him in and he immediately turned around a squad that went 5-12 in 2023, leading them to an 11-6 record and a playoff berth. While the playoff game didn't go as Chargers fans hoped, simply getting there in Harbaugh's first season was considered a massive accomplishment.
All Harbaugh has done anywhere he's gone is win. He led Stanford to an Orange Bowl win in 2010, then experienced crazy success with the 49ers, leading them to a Super Bowl appearance in just his second year at the helm. He returned to his alma mater of Michigan in 2015 and, while it took some time, he got them to the top of the college football mountain in the 2023 season, winning a National Championship.
Now Chargers fans are hoping that Harbaugh can bring that same level of success to their team. With this punishment, Harbaugh can't run back to the college level if he gets overwhelmed or another opportunity comes knocking so the only way he'll likely leave the Chargers is if he doesn't live up to the hype. That feels unlikely given the level of success he's had everywhere else.
This is bad news for Harbaugh, Michigan fans, and anyone who might have wanted him to coach their college team but it's great news for the Los Angeles Chargers.