The LA Chargers have followed the Jim Harbaugh trend this season. Harbaugh notoriously turns teams around in his first season somewhere new and the Bolts have been no different. Los Angeles has already surpassed last year's win total with a 7-3 record in 10 games.
The Chargers are overachieving compared to preseason expectations as many now consider the team as a legitimate Super Bowl dark horse. This couldn't be more different than a year ago when the Chargers were one of the most dysfunctional teams in the sport.
While things are going well in LA, Harbaugh does not want to hear the praise for his new team. He will spend plenty of time himself praising his players and coaching staff but he does not want any outside praise to corrupt the team moving forward.
When asked about how the team responds to the newfound praise thrown its way, Harbaugh essentially confirmed the Chargers are blocking out the noise in the most Harbaugh way possible.
Jim Harbaugh on media praise of the 7-3 Chargers: "When people are giving you accolades and compliments and telling you you've arrived, kick them in the shins. You kick them right in the shins, that's what you do."
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) November 20, 2024
"They're trying to make you soft." pic.twitter.com/I6ErWqgWqG
Jim Harbaugh is kicking those who praise the Chargers in the shins
Harbaugh knows that the job isn't even close to be finished ans is not going to let any praise distract his team from that reality. This is what makes Harbaugh such a special head coach and is the sole reason why his teams tend to be successful.
This is a Chargers team that is not concerned with the outside noise, good or bad, and is just concerned with doing the job. The results of this ethos shift have jumped off the screen as this is easily the best-coached Chargers team of the last two decades.
But don't worry, we will continue praising the Chargers if they stay on course. Fans expected big things under Harbaugh and this first season is still coming as a surprise. That is worth celebrating, even if Harbaugh himself does not want to hear it.
Harbaugh will be very busy kicking shins a week from now if the team is able to beat the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football. With a win in the Harbaugh Bowl, the Chargers would establish themselves as one of the four best teams in the NFL, which was not expected at all at the start of the 2024 campaign.
But even if they lose, and the feedback is negative, Harbaugh will still be kicking shins.