Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Jim Harbaugh

Discover the career path of Jim Harbaugh, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Jim Harbaugh is an American football coach, currently the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Previously, he coached the University of Michigan (2015-2023), the San Francisco 49ers (2011-2014), Stanford University (2007-2010), and the University of San Diego (2004-2006). Before coaching, Harbaugh had a 14-season NFL career (1987-2000) as a quarterback, notably with the Chicago Bears (1987-1993), after playing college football at Michigan (1983-1986). He is known for his coaching success at both the college and professional levels.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1901: Jim Harbaugh is one of two coaches in program history to win 10 games in each of his first two seasons

Three weeks later, Michigan defeated Michigan State on the road, its first victory in East Lansing since 2007. They then suffered their first loss of the season to Iowa, before beating Indiana for their 10th victory; Harbaugh is one of only two coaches in program history to win 10 games in each of his first two seasons as head coach, joining Fielding H. Yost (1901–02).

1920: Michigan defeats Rutgers 78-0

In week six of 2016, Michigan soundly defeated Rutgers 78–0, the third-largest margin of victory in program history and the largest margin since 1920.

1966: Michigan become the first team with a pair of 30-point shutouts

On October 3, 2015, The following week, Michigan beat #13 Northwestern 38–0, making the Wolverines the first team with a pair of 30-point shutouts against ranked opponents since Notre Dame's 1966 championship team.

1986: Final Season at Michigan

In 1986, Jim Harbaugh started all 13 games at quarterback for Michigan.

1987: Drafted by Chicago Bears

In 1987, Jim Harbaugh was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the NFL draft.

1988: First NFL start and win

In 1988, Jim Harbaugh played in 10 games and started his first game on December 5, 1988, a loss to the Los Angeles Rams. On December 12, 1988, he earned his first win as an NFL starter with a victory over the Detroit Lions.

1989: First season with over 1,000 passing yards

In 1989, Jim Harbaugh saw more playing time after Jim McMahon left the team. 1989 was his first season with over 1,000 passing yards. He set a team record for single-season completion percentage with 62.4%.

1990: Regular Starter for Chicago Bears

In 1990, Jim Harbaugh became a regular starting quarterback with the Chicago Bears.

1990: NFC Central Division Win

In 1990, Jim Harbaugh started in the first 14 games of the season. Chicago improved to 11-5 and won the NFC Central division. Harbaugh passed for 2,178 yards. Due to a shoulder injury, he sat out the last two games of the year as well as the playoffs in 1990.

December 29, 1991: Postseason debut

On December 29, 1991, Jim Harbaugh made his postseason debut in the NFC Wild Card Round against the Dallas Cowboys, a 17–13 loss. He went 22-of-44 for 218 yards and threw an interception on the final drive.

1992: Chicago regressed, coach fired

In 1992, Chicago regressed to a 5–11 record, and the team fired coach Ditka. Harbaugh played all 16 games but started only 13 and had a 5–8 record as starter during the 1992 season.

1993: Harbaugh's final season with Chicago

In 1993, Chicago went 7–9. Harbaugh played in and started 15 games. He ended his tenure with Chicago with a 35–30 record during the 1993 season.

April 7, 1994: Signed with the Indianapolis Colts

On April 7, 1994, Jim Harbaugh signed with the Indianapolis Colts. He played and started in just nine games in the 1994 season.

1994: Unpaid assistant coach at Western Kentucky University

From 1994 to 2001, during his final eight seasons in the NFL, Jim Harbaugh served as an NCAA-certified unpaid assistant coach under his father Jack Harbaugh at Western Kentucky University (WKU) as an offensive consultant.

1995: "Captain Comeback" nickname

During his time with Indianapolis, particularly in the 1995–96 NFL playoffs, Jim Harbaugh earned the nickname "Captain Comeback" for his ability to lead his team to victory in the fourth quarter when significantly behind.

1995: Career highs and AFC Championship Game

In 1995, Jim Harbaugh achieved career highs in completion percentage (63.7%), passer rating (100.7), and touchdown passes (17) and led Indianapolis to the AFC Championship Game. He strained his right knee during the Week 14 game on December 3, 1995.

1995: AFC Championship Game and Pro Bowl Selection

In 1995, Jim Harbaugh led the Indianapolis Colts to the AFC Championship Game, was selected to the Pro Bowl, and was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

December 31, 1995: AFC Wild Card Round win against San Diego

On December 31, 1995, in the AFC Wild Card Round against San Diego, Jim Harbaugh scored on a 3-yard quarterback sneak in the fourth quarter, and Indianapolis won 35–20.

January 7, 1996: Divisional Round win over Kansas City Chiefs

Indianapolis won the Divisional Round game on January 7, 1996, over the Kansas City Chiefs 10–7, despite only 112 passing yards from Jim Harbaugh.

1996: Playoff Appearance and Wild Card Loss

In 1996, Indianapolis again finished 9–7 and made the playoffs with Jim Harbaugh as quarterback. The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated Indianapolis in the Wild Card Round 42–14 during the 1996 season.

1996: Cardinal's first bowl win

In 2010, Stanford defeated Virginia Tech 40–12 in the Orange Bowl for the Cardinal's first bowl win since 1996 and the first BCS bowl victory in program history.

1997: Difficult season with the Colts

In 1997, Indianapolis fell to 3–13. Jim Harbaugh missed four games of the season after he punched former quarterback Jim Kelly in the face because Kelly had called him a "baby."

February 14, 1998: Traded to the Baltimore Ravens

On February 14, 1998, the Indianapolis Colts traded Jim Harbaugh to the Baltimore Ravens for draft picks.

1998: Season with the Baltimore Ravens

In 1998, Jim Harbaugh played for the Baltimore Ravens after being traded from the Colts. The Ravens opened a new stadium, Ravens Stadium at Camden Yards, now known as M&T Bank Stadium. Harbaugh suffered an injury during Week 1 on September 6, 1998.

1999: Season with the San Diego Chargers

In 1999, Jim Harbaugh played most of the season for the San Diego Chargers after Ryan Leaf sustained a season-ending injury.

2000: Final season with the Chargers

In 2000, San Diego finished 1-15 with a rotation of quarterbacks including Ryan Leaf, Jim Harbaugh, and Moses Moreno. Harbaugh started five games and played in seven during the 2000 season.

2000: Back to back shutouts

On October 3, 2015, Jim Harbaugh led the Wolverines to a 28–0 shutout win against the Maryland Terrapins, posting back to back shutouts for the first time since 2000.

2001: Unpaid assistant coach at Western Kentucky University

2001: End of Assistant Coaching at Western Kentucky

In 2001 Jim Harbaugh ended his time as an assistant coach at Western Kentucky University.

2001: Cardinal's bowl appearance

In 2009, the Cardinal had a comeback season, finishing the regular season at 8–4 and receiving an invitation to play in the 2009 Sun Bowl, the Cardinal's first bowl appearance since 2001.

2001: Brief stints with Lions and Panthers, NFL retirement

Prior to the 2001 season, Jim Harbaugh signed with the Detroit Lions but was cut before the season began. He finished his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers in 2001, where he dressed for six games but did not play.

2002: Quarterback coach for the Oakland Raiders

In 2002, Jim Harbaugh became the quarterback coach for the Oakland Raiders under Bill Callahan.

2002: Playoff drought for 49ers

In 2011, Jim Harbaugh led the team to a 13–3 record in the regular season, marking the first time the 49ers had made the playoffs since 2002.

2002: WKU Division I-AA National Champion team

Jim Harbaugh was involved in recruiting 17 players on WKU's 2002 Division I-AA national champion team.

2002: 49ers drought

Prior to Jim Harbaugh's arrival, the 49ers had not had a winning season nor a playoff appearance since 2002.

2003: Raiders quarterback coach

In 2003, Jim Harbaugh continued as the quarterback coach for the Oakland Raiders under Bill Callahan.

2004: Head Coach at University of San Diego

In 2004, Jim Harbaugh became the head coach at the University of San Diego.

2004: Head football coach at the University of San Diego

Prior to the 2004 season, Jim Harbaugh was named head football coach at the University of San Diego. In his first year, he directed the Toreros to an overall mark of 7–4.

December 2006: Named head football coach at Stanford University

In December 2006, Jim Harbaugh was named the head football coach at Stanford University, replacing Walt Harris.

2006: Second consecutive Pioneer League title

In 2006, the University of San Diego football team went 11–1 again, winning their second consecutive Pioneer League title with Jim Harbaugh as head coach.

March 2007: Harbaugh Comments on Pete Carroll's Future

In March 2007, Jim Harbaugh made a controversial statement suggesting that USC's head coach Pete Carroll would only be at USC for one more year, claiming he heard it from USC staff. This led to a rebuke from Carroll and stirred intra-conference controversy.

July 26, 2007: Harbaugh praises USC

On July 26, 2007, at the Pacific-10 Conference media day, Jim Harbaugh stated that USC was the best team in the country and may be the best team in the history of college football.

2007: Michigan ranked in the top five

After defeating Hawaii in the opening game of the 2016 season, Michigan was ranked 5th in the AP Poll. It was the first time Michigan had been ranked in the top five since the start of the 2007 season.

2007: Head Coach at Stanford University

In 2007, Jim Harbaugh moved to Stanford as head coach.

2008: Michigan wins over a top ten ranked team

After defeating #8 Wisconsin in 2016, it was Michigan's first win over a top ten ranked team since 2008.

January 2009: Interviewed by the New York Jets

In January 2009, Jim Harbaugh was interviewed by the New York Jets for their head coach position, but the job was ultimately offered to Rex Ryan.

November 14, 2009: Stanford upsets USC

On November 14, 2009, Jim Harbaugh's Stanford Cardinal upset USC at home with a score of 55–21. Stanford's 55 points was the most ever scored on USC in the Trojans' history, marking Pete Carroll's first November loss as USC head coach. The game also featured an infamous "What's your deal?" exchange between Harbaugh and Carroll.

December 13, 2009: Harbaugh gets contract extension

On December 13, 2009, Jim Harbaugh was rewarded with a three-year contract extension through the 2014 season.

2010: Successful season for Harbaugh and the Cardinal

The 2010 season brought more success for Jim Harbaugh and the Stanford Cardinal. The team went 11–1 in the regular season, earning a #4 BCS ranking and a BCS bowl invitation to the Orange Bowl, where they defeated Virginia Tech 40–12. Harbaugh was named the winner of the Woody Hayes Coach of the Year Award.

January 7, 2011: Harbaugh becomes head coach for the San Francisco 49ers

On January 7, 2011, Jim Harbaugh agreed to a five-year, $25 million contract to become the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers.

2011: Orange Bowl Win and 49ers Head Coach

In 2011, Jim Harbaugh led Stanford to a win in the Orange Bowl and signed a five-year deal as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

2011: Harbaugh named AP NFL Coach of the Year

In 2011, Jim Harbaugh's work in San Francisco resulted in an extremely successful season. The 49ers' season ended with a loss in the NFC Championship. At the conclusion of the season, Harbaugh was named the AP NFL Coach of the Year.

2012: Super Bowl XLVII Appearance

At the end of the 2012 season, Jim and John Harbaugh became the first brothers to coach against each other in Super Bowl XLVII.

2012: Quarterback controversy

In the 2012 season, Jim Harbaugh resolved a quarterback controversy by replacing incumbent starter Alex Smith with backup Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick remained the starter for the remainder of the season as the 49ers again qualified for the playoffs.

2013: Harbaugh leads 49ers to third consecutive NFC Championship appearance

In the 2013 season, Jim Harbaugh led the 49ers to a 12–4 regular-season record and a third consecutive appearance in both the playoffs and NFC Championship.

2013: Power struggle with Trent Baalke

It has been suggested that Jim Harbaugh, despite his success on the field, was involved in a power struggle with 49ers general manager Trent Baalke starting from the 2013 season onward.

2013: Michigan's first appearance in the AP Top 25 since 2013

On September 26, 2015, Jim Harbaugh led Michigan to a 31–0 victory over No. 22-ranked Brigham Young University, leading Michigan to move into #22 in the AP Poll. This was Michigan's first appearance in the AP Top 25 since 2013.

December 28, 2014: 49ers and Harbaugh part ways

On December 28, 2014, the 49ers announced that they had mutually agreed to part ways with Jim Harbaugh as their head coach after the 49ers had an 8-8 season in 2014, failing to reach the playoffs for the first time under the Harbaugh era.

December 30, 2014: Harbaugh introduced as Michigan's head coach

On December 30, 2014, Jim Harbaugh was introduced by the University of Michigan as the school's new head football coach.

2014: Contract extension

On December 13, 2009, Harbaugh was rewarded with a three-year contract extension through the 2014 season.

September 3, 2015: First game as head coach of Michigan

On September 3, 2015, Jim Harbaugh lost his first game as head coach of Michigan, a 24–17 road loss against Utah.

2015: Head Football Coach for Michigan Wolverines

In 2015, Jim Harbaugh accepted the job as head football coach for the University of Michigan Wolverines.

2015: Rumors of Harbaugh's departure

On October 5, 2014, it was rumored that Jim Harbaugh would not return in 2015 regardless of that season's outcome.

2016: Michigan ranked in the top five

June 13, 2017: Harbaugh Speaks on Access to Justice

On June 13, 2017, Jim Harbaugh spoke in Washington, D.C., about the gap in access to justice for low-income Americans, highlighting the findings of the 2017 LSC report, "The Justice Gap: Measuring the Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-Income Americans."

2017: Outback Bowl

In the 2017-2018 bowl season, Michigan finished the season in the Outback Bowl, losing 19–26 to South Carolina.

2018: 2018 Season

In 2018, Michigan lost their first game of the season against No. 12 Notre Dame 17–24, but rebounded the next two weeks with a 49–3 win over Western Michigan University and a 45–20 win over SMU. Michigan lost at #10 Ohio State 62–39, denying Michigan a chance to play in the Big Ten Championship Game. Ohio State's 62 points set a record for points against Michigan in regulation. The Wolverines lost to the Florida Gators 41–15 in the Peach Bowl, finishing with another 10–3 season.

2018: Big Ten Conference

In the 2017-2018 bowl season, Michigan became the only team in the Big Ten Conference to lose its bowl game, giving them an 8–5 record on the year.

2019: 49ers success after Harbaugh's departure

In the 2019 season, the 49ers went 13–3 and advanced to Super Bowl LIV, breaking a losing streak after Jim Harbaugh's departure.

January 8, 2021: Harbaugh Signs Contract Extension

On January 8, 2021, Michigan signed Jim Harbaugh to a four-year contract extension, keeping him with the team through the 2025 season.

January 2022: Harbaugh Considers NFL Coaching Jobs

In January 2022, Jim Harbaugh was considered for head coaching positions with the Las Vegas Raiders and the Minnesota Vikings, even interviewing with the Vikings. Ultimately, he did not receive an offer and returned to coach the Wolverines.

2022: Wolverines Ranked in Top 10

In 2022, the Wolverines began the season ranked sixth and eighth in the coaches' and AP polls, respectively, and opened the season with a seven-game winning streak.

January 8, 2024: Michigan Wins CFP National Championship

On January 8, 2024, Jim Harbaugh led Michigan to a 34-13 victory over Washington in the CFP National Championship, securing the school's first national championship since 1997 and its first undisputed title since 1948.

January 24, 2024: Head Coach of Los Angeles Chargers

On January 24, 2024, Jim Harbaugh left Michigan to return to the NFL, signing a five-year contract to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.

September 8, 2024: Harbaugh Wins First NFL Game with Chargers

On September 8, 2024, in his coaching debut with the franchise, Jim Harbaugh led the Chargers to a 22-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. This marked his first NFL win as a head coach since December 2014.