4 early favorites to replace Brandon Staley as Chargers head coach

Jim Harbaugh

The other big name that Chargers fans are clamoring for is Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. While Michigan has dominated this season and might be on the way to a National Championship, the speculation of Harbaugh returning to the NFL has only grown.

Harbaugh has flirted with the NFL for several years now and if there was ever a time for him to make a jump it would be in 2024. After all, he theoretically could have one of the best head coaching jobs in the sport and would get to coach a quarterback that we already know he loves.

If Harbaugh wins the National Championship this season then there will not be anything left to accomplish at Michigan. After a season that was filled with controversy that resulted in a suspension from the Big 10, the NFL might seem like a safe haven for Harbaugh.

The same questions about Belichick arise with Harbaugh though. The team would not need to trade assets to hire him but it would have to pay a pretty penny. Spanos has never shown the willingness to pay a head coach like he is a player, which would kill this relationship from ever getting off the ground floor.

But if Spanos is finally willing to open the checkbook and pay for a big-name head coach then there isn't a better option than Harbaugh. Because of that, and because of the fact that the Chargers' job is so tantalizing, he has to be considered an early favorite.