LOS ANGELES — It looks like the LA Chargers have a new coach and he is not new to the team, the region, or to winning. After a reported second interview with the team in January, several sources close to the team including NFL Twitter and ESPN's Adam Schefter and the Associated Press report that 60-year-old Jim Harbaugh will become the team's next head coach.
Schefter tweeted "Breaking: Jim Harbaugh is leaving Michigan to accept the head coaching job with the Los Angeles Chargers, sources tell ESPN. The Chargers get their man while the national champions now have a head-coach opening."
This will be Harbaugh's second stint in the NFL as a head coach. During his first stint, Harbaugh went 44-19-1 in four seasons in San Francisco and took the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2012 when he lost to his brother, John Harbaugh, and the Baltimore Ravens.
The younger Harbaugh brother, Jim, played for the San Diego Chargers near the end of his playing career from 1999-2000 as a quarterback. He also began his head coaching career at the University of San Diego in 2004.
Harbaugh interviewed with the Los Angeles Chargers a week after leading the University of Michigan to a national title. Harbaugh was one of twelve candidates publically known to interview for the Chargers head coach position.
According to the AP, Harbaugh will be the first former Chargers player to return to the team as a head coach.
The Chargers have been looking for a new head coach - and a new general manager - since Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco were fired on December 15 following a historic blowout loss on Thursday Night Football to the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders, 63-21.
The team named Giff Smith as the interim Head Coach and JoJo Wooden as interim General Manager to finish the season. Smith was previously the team's outside linebackers coach and Wooden was the team's Director of Player Personnel.
According to Spanos, the decision was not "easy" in a statement posted on Chargers.com.
"I want to thank Tom and Brandon for their hard work, dedication and professionalism, and wish both them and their great families nothing but the best," said Owner and Chairman of the Board Dean Spanos. "These decisions are never easy, nor are they something I take lightly — especially when you consider the number of people they impact. We are clearly not where we expect to be, however, and we need new vision. Doing nothing in the name of continuity was not a risk I was willing to take. Our fans have stood strong through so many ups and downs and close games. They deserve more. Frankly, they've earned more. Building and maintaining a championship-caliber program remains our ultimate goal. And reimagining how we achieve that goal begins today."
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