Michigan's Jim Harbaugh Interviews With Chargers; Decision Reportedly Not 'Imminent'

With his future up in the air, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh interviewed for the Los Angeles Chargers Job on Monday.

Prior to the interview, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported no decision is "imminent" and that Harbaugh plans to be "deliberate" in deciding whether to leave his alma mater, while the Chargers will continue moving forward with their coaching search after Monday's meeting.

Harbaugh is seemingly the clubhouse favorite to land the Chargers job, but the same could have been said two years ago for the Minnesota Vikings' vacancy. That job instead went to Kevin O'Connell and Harbaugh returned to Michigan.

Wolverines fans will be forever grateful Harbaugh put off an NFL return for at least two years, as it resulted in consecutive College Football Playoff appearances and a national championship this season.

If Harbaugh is ever going to leap back to the NFL game, now is the time. His leverage, in terms of his contract demands and potentially asking for personnel control, will never be greater than it is now. Michigan will do everything in its power to retain Harbaugh, with athletic director Warde Manuel publicly declaring a desire to sign his coach to a new deal. The comfort of staying a made man at Michigan has to be enticing for Harbaugh, who was politicked out of his first NFL job with the San Francisco 49ers.

That said, the college game will be waiting for Harbaugh with open arms if his return to the NFL goes sour.

The Chargers' vacancy is arguably the most coveted of this hiring cycle—at least until we know the status of Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy—featuring a franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert and strong talent elsewhere on both sides of the ball. Los Angeles fired coach Brandon Staley with three games remaining in the 2023 season after the Chargers fell from a playoff team a year ago to the bottom of the AFC West.

Peter King of NBC Sports reported Chargers owner Dean Spanos, desperate to build a contender around Herbert, may view splurging on Harbaugh as a "smart investment." Spanos has rarely spent significant money on coaches in the past, but there is a known mutual interest between the two sides.

If the Cowboys job comes open, Harbaugh's name will likely find itself at or near the top of their search as well. Owner Jerry Jones was non-committal about McCarthy's job status following Sunday's 48-32 blowout loss to the Green Bay Packers.