There is some truth to the rumor that Jim Harbaugh would be open to taking over as the Chicago Bears’ next head coach.
The Bears and the Las Vegas Raiders are the two teams that Mike Jones of The Athletic reported on November 16th as possible candidates for Harbaugh’s next coaching positions.
“Harbaugh is among those expected to receive consideration in the next hiring cycle, according to a league source who has been briefed on discussions high-ranking NFL officials have had about potential head coach candidates,” Jones wrote.
“Two other league sources who regularly talk with teams about hiring and firing decisions said at least two teams — the Chicago Bears and Las Vegas Raiders — are believed to be among those that would appeal to Harbaugh. The individuals spoke on condition of anonymity to talk freely about the situation.”
Jim Harbaugh Has Had Success Everywhere He Has Coached
Harbaugh, who was named the NFL’s Coach of the Year in 2011 and the AP’s College Coach of the Year in 2021, has had winning records every time he has been a head coach.
In his first head coaching gig at the University of San Diego from 2004-2006, he went 29-6. In four seasons with Stanford after that, Harbaugh went 29-21.
His lone experience as a head coach in the NFL was with the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 through 2014. He amassed a 44-19-1 mark, taking the Niners to the Super Bowl after the 2013 season. Harbaugh joined his college alma mater after that, taking the reins at Michigan.
Since 2015, the Wolverines are 84-25 under his leadership. Harbaugh has been at Michigan ever since. The current investigations into the conduct of the football program have some believing he’ll head to the NFL next offseason.
So, What’s Going on at Michigan?
Harbaugh is currently serving the second of two three-game suspensions handed out by the NCAA this year. The first was served earlier this season for recruiting violations.
The latest suspension involves former Wolverines staff member Connor Stalions, who has since resigned from the university. Stalions is accused of sign-stealing, and Harbaugh has been suspended for violating the Big Ten’s sportsmanship policy due to the allegations against Stalions.
Per a statement released by the University of Michigan, the Big Ten “confirmed that it is not aware of any information suggesting Coach Harbaugh’s involvement in the allegations. The University continues to cooperate fully with the NCAA’s investigation.”
Could his current tumult in the NCAA result in his return to the NFL? It sure looks that way — and the Bears could appeal to him for multiple reasons.
“Bears team president and CEO Kevin Warren knows Harbaugh from his former role as Big Ten commissioner,” Jones added. “Harbaugh, a former quarterback, also played in Chicago for seven of his 14 NFL seasons after the Bears made him a first-round pick in 1987.”
On the November 10 episode of ESPN’s “Get Up,” Chris Canty, who played defensive end in the league for 11 seasons, strongly advocated for Harbaugh to head to Chicago.
“When he took over the job in San Francisco in 2011, that was a 6-10 team and they went on to go to three consecutive conference championship games and a Super Bowl appearance,” Canty said, adding: “He is damn good at his job which is coaching football and then resurrecting programs. Why would we think he couldn’t get the Chicago Bears turned around?”
