This is the third consecutive NFL hiring period to feature extensive Jim Harbaugh return rumblings, but this one is providing louder noise on the subject. Harbaugh hiring NFL agent Don Yee has set off alarm bells ahead of Michigan’s national championship game booking against Washington.
The Chargers and Raiders have been in on Harbaugh for a bit now. While Harbaugh interest in coaching Justin Herbert has surfaced, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz notes a return to the Raiders is also believed to hold appeal for the nine-year Michigan HC. Both AFC West teams appear likely to request interviews with Harbaugh, who can meet with teams before coaches on NFL staffs, who must wait until after the divisional round to go through interviews due to an NFL timetable adjustment to its coaching calendar.
[RELATED: Raiders Interested In Bill Belichick?]
Like the Bolts, Harbaugh has a history with the Raiders. Finishing his on-field playing career with the Chargers in 2000, Harbaugh moved directly into coaching in 2002. The Raiders gave Harbaugh his first gig, hiring him as quarterbacks coach on Bill Callahan‘s staff. Harbaugh stayed two years, moving to the college ranks in 2004. The Raiders were connected to Harbaugh during the hiring period that produced the Josh McDaniels choice as well.
Mark Davis has shown support for Pierce, but the second-generation owner has been tied to taking another big swing to fill this position. Considering Pierce’s limited experience, that checks out. Indeed, Schultz adds Pierce has received internal support but offers that Harbaugh is “at or near the top” of the team’s list. Following the Raiders’ Week 18 win over the Broncos, Davis responded in the affirmative when asked (via ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez) if Pierce met his expectations of leading and delegating effectively, indicating “there is no question about it,” during his interim stretch.
Pierce went 5-4 as Raiders HC, being far more popular among Raider players compared to McDaniels. But his limited experience — and no NFL team opting to keep an interim HC since 2017 (Doug Marrone, Jaguars) — provide an uphill battle.
It will also be interesting to see how much power the Raiders and Chargers would be willing to give Harbaugh, who has multiple Michigan extension offers on the table. With Harbaugh’s interviews with the Vikings (2022) and Broncos (2023) not leading to jobs, Michigan will certainly be prepared to put a full-court press on the popular but polarizing leader should the Raiders and Chargers move aggressively. That would naturally lead to Harbaugh wanting significant say in terms of personnel and front office staffing.
Once the Wolverines’ season wraps tonight, this situation will accelerate. Will Harbaugh, who could be facing additional sanctions in connection with Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal, make the move back to the NFL this year?
Antonio- Call the Bears. At the very least if the Bears keep Eberflus you can be the DC of a rising defense in the NFL and build up your rep to be a HC even more. And if they fire Eberflus toss your hat in the ring, Couldn’t hurt.
The Bears would only fire Eberflus if they could upgrade, with Harbaugh or Belichik. Pierce has a shot, if the Raiders can’t hire Harbaugh or Belichik, but no chance of getting a head coaching job elsewhere in the NFL ( this year).
He should go to New England, they cheat there too with the under inflated balls. Then we he gets caught there he can try his hand coaching baseball in Houston.
Let it go
Raiders being the Raiders. Have a competent coach that the players and fans are behind and they will try and hire a coach everyone universally hates.
Harbaugh is respected by every knowledgeable football fan. Outside of Ohio, ( 3 beatings consecutively!!), Harbaugh is generally liked.
My guesses
Ben Johnson has zero interest in the Commanders job
Davis does not retain Pierce
Harbaugh leaves Michigan
Squid- I hope Ben Johnson has as much interest in the Bears job as I have in him interviewing for it. With the #1 and #9 picks and a decent roster already I think it could be a great job to walk into. The Bears need an Offense Coach if they move on from Eberflus . Get Ben Johnson as a HC and Antonio Pierce as a DC and you have what I would call a great start.
Do you think Ben Johnson is the kind of guy who is going to jump at the opportunity to join a division rival? Honestly I do not think he would take the Bears HC position just out of respect for Dan Campbell and the Lions organization.
Ben Johnson would be great for the Chargers (But it feels like the Chargers are the top landing spot this year and Harbaugh will have first ups).
Ben Johnson would be awesome in New England. The Patriots would get an offensive minded HC and Ben Johnson could draft Jayden Daniels with the #3 pick.
Huh? he’ll go where one, He can make the most money and two where he has the best chance of success. All that other stuff you mentioned is total nonsense. That Patriots job is a death knell as following Belechick will be hard enough but especially rough with that roster. The Bears can be a one year fix. The Patriots job is a multi year problem.
The Bears still have a coach. I do not think they are dropping Eberflus. He would have already lost his job today if that was going to happen imo. The Bears could benefit from making an OC change, but the defense looked really good the 2nd half of the year.
Everyone keeps saying Vrable to the Patriots but that is just keeping the stat quo. If they want to keep things the same they could keep Bill or go hire Josh as their new HC. Ben Johnson would be a culture changer in New England. The team is prehistoric, the time has passed, the best thing the Pats could do is bring in the young hot shot OC who has taken the league by storm over these last 2 years. Let him build a team that can contend in the here and now. It may take 2 years to build it, but Ben Johnson just did that in Detroit and they are looking really good on the offensive side of the ball. I think he has what it takes to do that for New England. Just my opinion.
This is all just nonsense talk anyhow, thanks for wasting time with me Unclemike.
You are 100% correct. The only way that Eberflus gets fired is if the Bears can get Harbaugh. He is too good of a coach to pass on. Belichik is very unlikely to go to Chicago.
Why would Harbaugh go to the Raiders or any team without a QB. It’s a fools errand in the NFL. At least the Chargers have a QB to build around.
What better way to amp up negotiations and get more money than to have the Chargers competing with a division rival that has a history of paying huge money for a head coach (Gruden 10yrs/100mil)
Herbert is 30-31 over 4 years. Saying he’s great is like saying Trevor is great as well.
Maybe Herbert isn’t his guy at QB. Sometimes coming in and drafting your guy is more appealing.
Yea that’s true but that’s a lot bigger gamble and the failure rate has to be substantially higher. But if you end up with CJ Stroud then maybe that’s the payoff.
He’ll bring his QB from Michigan over to the NFL
The Raiders can draft Mc Carthy or Nix with the 13th pick. Harbaugh and Mc Carthy, might become a ” package deal”!!
Looking at Los Angeles Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders and the price each team might be willing to pay Jim Harbraugh, Harbraugh needs to consider that unlike California, Nevada doesn’t have an income tax. That’s huge! The Chargers are going to have to pay substantially more to get Harbraugh on an equal bottom line…
The Raiders would be making a huge mistake if they don’t keep Pierce
Antonio Pierce has no chance of getting the raiders job anymore than Rich Bisaccia had a chance 2 years ago. Bisaccia was way way more qualified than pierce. Just shows you how much of an idiot Davis is
Qualified how? Rich has never been an HC. HS, CFB nor NFL. At least Pierce was a HC in HS and he was the Associate HC at a top D1 program. The only way you can learn how to be a HC is by actually doing it. Rich B took over a far better situation than AP. That team was a playoff team, he just had to drive the car. This team was a broken down car and AP got it going so quickly. It felt different from day one.
Who would be surprised if Mark Davis offers Harbaugh a 10 yr $150M deal ala Gruden?