Jim Harbaugh facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids
Jim Harbaugh

Harbaugh as Michigan Wolverines head coach, 2018

Los Angeles Chargers

Position:

Head coach

Personal information

Born:

December 23, 1963 (age 61)
Toledo, Ohio, U.S.

Height:

6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)

Weight:

215 lb (98 kg)

Career information

High school:

Palo Alto (Palo Alto, California)

College:

Michigan (1982–1986)

NFL Draft:

1987 / Round: 1 / Pick: 26

Career history

As player:

Chicago Bears (1987–1993)
Indianapolis Colts (1994–1997)
Baltimore Ravens (1998)
San Diego Chargers (1999–2000)
Detroit Lions (2001)*
Carolina Panthers (2001)

As coach:

Western Kentucky (1994–2001)
Offensive consultant
Oakland Raiders (2002)
Quarterbacks coach
San Diego (2004–2006)
Head coach
Stanford (2007–2010)
Head coach
San Francisco 49ers (2011)
Head coach
Michigan (2015–2023)
Head coach
Los Angeles Chargers (2024–present)
Head coach

Career highlights and awards

As player

Indianapolis Colts Ring of Honor (2005)
George Halas Award (1997)
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1995)
Pro Bowl (1995)
NFL passer rating leader (1995)
Chic Harley Award (1986)
Second-team All-American (1986)
Big Ten Most Valuable Player (1986)
Big Ten Player of the Year (1986)
First-team All-Big Ten (1986)

As coach

CFP national champion (2023)
3× Big Ten champion (2021–2023)
4× Big Ten East Division champion (2018, 2021–2023)
Big Ten Coach of the Year (2022)
AP College Football Coach of the Year (2021)
NFL Coach of the Year (2011)
Woody Hayes Trophy (2010)
2× PFL champion (2005, 2006)
2× Consensus Mid-Major champion (2005, 2006)
PFL North Division champion (2005)

Career NFL statistics

Passing attempts:	3,918
Passing completions:	2,305
Completion percentage:	58.8%
TD–INT:	129–117
Passing yards:	26,288
Passer rating:	77.6

Head coaching record

Regular season:

NFL: 52–25–1 (.673)
NCAA: 128–45 (.740)

Postseason:

NFL: 5–4 (.556)
NCAA: 6–7 (.462)

Career:

NFL: 57–29–1 (.661)
NCAA: 133–52 (.719)

Player stats at PFR

Coaching stats at PFR

James Joseph Harbaugh (/ˈhɑːrbɔː/ HAR-baw; born December 23, 1963) is an American football coach and former quarterback. He is currently the head coach for the Los Angeles Chargers in the National Football League (NFL). Before this, he was the head coach for the University of Michigan from 2015 to 2023. He also coached the San Francisco 49ers (2011–2014), Stanford University (2007–2010), and the University of San Diego (2004–2006).

Harbaugh played college football at Michigan from 1983 to 1986. He then played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, from 1987 to 2000. His longest time as a player was with the Chicago Bears (1987–1993). In 1995, playing for the Indianapolis Colts, he led them to the AFC Championship Game. He was also chosen for the Pro Bowl and named NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

Early Life and Education

Jim Harbaugh was born in Toledo, Ohio, on December 23, 1963. His parents are Jacqueline and Jack Harbaugh. His mother has Sicilian and Polish roots, and his father has Irish and German ancestry. Jim and his brother John were both born in Toledo. Their father was an assistant football coach nearby.

Because his father was a coach, the family moved often. They lived in Ohio, Kentucky, Iowa, Michigan, and California. Jim went to high school in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Palo Alto, California. He graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1982. After high school, Harbaugh went to the University of Michigan. He earned a degree in communication in 1986.

College Football Career

Jim Harbaugh joined the Bo Schembechler's Michigan Wolverines team in 1982. He was known as a "slick California passer" from high school. He didn't play much in his first two years, learning from older quarterbacks.

In 1984, Harbaugh became Michigan's starting quarterback. In his first start, Michigan upset the No. 1 ranked Miami Hurricanes. He completed 11 of 21 passes for 162 yards. Later that season, he broke his left arm and missed the rest of the year.

Harbaugh returned strong in 1985. He started all 12 games for the team. Michigan finished with a 10–1–1 record. They defeated Nebraska in the 1986 Fiesta Bowl. The team ended the season ranked No. 2 in the country. Harbaugh set a school record with 283 passing yards against Indiana. He also broke the school record for completions in a season. He led the nation in passing efficiency that year.

In his final season in 1986, Harbaugh started all 13 games. He famously guaranteed a victory over Ohio State, and Michigan won 26–24. He set a Michigan season record with 2,729 passing yards. This record stood until 2002. Harbaugh finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. He was named the most valuable player in the Big Ten Conference. He also earned All-American honors.

Harbaugh ended his college career as Michigan's all-time leader in passing yards. He had 5,449 yards. He also held the NCAA Division I-A passing efficiency record for 12 years.

Professional Playing Career

Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears picked Jim Harbaugh in the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft. He played for the Bears from 1987 to 1993. He became a regular starting quarterback in 1990. In 1991, he passed for a career-high 3,121 yards with Chicago. He started all 16 games that season. He helped the Bears reach the playoffs twice.

Indianapolis Colts

In 1994, Harbaugh joined the Indianapolis Colts. The 1995 season was a highlight for him. He led the Colts to the AFC Championship Game. He was selected for the Pro Bowl. He also won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. He earned the nickname "Captain Comeback." This was because he often led his team to win games in the fourth quarter.

Baltimore Ravens and San Diego Chargers

Harbaugh played for the Baltimore Ravens in 1998. He then moved to the San Diego Chargers from 1999 to 2000. He was a backup quarterback for the Chargers. He played more after the starting quarterback got injured.

Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers

He briefly signed with the Detroit Lions in 2001. He finished his NFL playing career with the Carolina Panthers in 2001. He did not play in any games for the Panthers.

Legacy as a Player

Jim Harbaugh played in 177 NFL games. He started 140 of them. He completed 2,305 passes for 26,288 yards. He threw 129 touchdowns. He is still second in the Bears' record book for completions. In 2005, he was honored by the Indianapolis Colts Ring of Honor. This recognized him as one of their most successful players.

NFL Career Statistics

Legend
	Led the league
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games			Passing								Rushing				Sacked		Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Record	Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/A	TD	Int	Rtg	Att	Yds	Y/A	TD	Sck	SckY	Fum	Lost
1987	CHI	6	0	—	8	11	72.7	62	5.6	0	0	86.2	4	15	3.8	0	4	45	0	—
1988	CHI	10	2	1–1	47	97	48.5	514	5.3	0	2	55.9	19	110	5.8	1	6	49	1	—
1989	CHI	12	5	1–4	111	178	62.4	1,204	6.8	5	9	70.5	45	276	6.1	3	18	106	2	—
1990	CHI	14	14	10–4	180	312	57.7	2,178	7.0	10	6	81.9	51	321	6.3	4	31	206	8	—
1991	CHI	16	16	11–5	275	478	57.5	3,121	6.5	15	16	73.7	70	338	4.8	2	24	163	6	—
1992	CHI	16	13	5–8	202	358	56.4	2,486	6.9	13	12	76.2	47	272	5.8	1	31	167	6	—
1993	CHI	15	15	7–8	200	325	61.5	2,002	6.2	7	11	72.1	60	277	4.6	4	43	210	15	—
1994	IND	12	9	4–5	125	202	61.9	1,440	7.1	9	6	85.8	39	223	5.7	0	17	72	1	1
1995	IND	15	12	7–5	200	314	63.7	2,575	8.2	17	5	100.7	52	235	4.5	2	36	219	4	2
1996	IND	14	14	7–7	232	405	57.3	2,630	6.5	13	11	76.3	48	192	4.0	1	36	190	8	4
1997	IND	12	11	2–9	189	309	61.2	2,060	6.7	10	4	86.2	36	206	5.7	0	41	256	4	3
1998	BAL	14	12	5–7	164	293	56.0	1,839	6.3	12	11	72.9	40	172	4.3	0	23	145	7	1
1999	SD	14	12	6–6	249	434	57.4	2,761	6.4	10	14	70.6	34	126	3.7	0	37	208	12	3
2000	SD	7	5	0–5	123	202	60.9	1,416	7.0	8	10	74.6	16	24	1.5	0	14	96	5	2
2001	CAR	0	0	DNP
Career		177	140	66–74	2,305	3,918	58.8	26,288	6.7	129	117	77.6	561	2,787	5.0	18	361	2,132	79	16

Postseason

Year	Team	Games			Passing								Rushing				Sacked		Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Record	Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/A	TD	Int	Rtg	Att	Yds	Y/A	TD	Sck	SckY	Fum	Lost
1991	CHI	1	1	0–1	22	44	50.0	218	5.0	1	2	53.0	7	26	3.7	0	3	11	1	—
1995	IND	3	3	2–1	49	87	56.3	554	6.4	4	2	81.3	20	87	4.4	1	7	52	2	0
1996	IND	1	1	0–1	12	32	37.5	134	4.2	1	1	48.2	3	6	2.0	0	3	29	1	1
Career		5	5	2–3	83	163	50.9	906	5.6	6	5	67.2	30	119	4.0	1	13	92	4	1

Coaching Career Highlights

Early Coaching Roles

While still playing in the NFL, Harbaugh was an unpaid assistant coach. He worked at Western Kentucky University from 1994 to 2001. His father, Jack, was the head coach there. Jim helped recruit players for the team.

After retiring as a player, Harbaugh became the quarterback coach for the Oakland Raiders. He worked there in 2002 and 2003. He coached Rich Gannon, who won the NFL MVP award in 2002.

University of San Diego Head Coach

In 2004, Harbaugh became the head coach at the University of San Diego. He quickly turned the team around. They won the Pioneer Football League championship in both 2005 and 2006.

Stanford University Head Coach

Harbaugh became the head football coach at Stanford University in December 2006. In 2007, Stanford had a huge upset win. They beat the #1 ranked USC team 24–23. This was one of the biggest upsets in college football history.

Harbaugh with Stanford in 2010

In 2009, Stanford had a great comeback season. They finished 8–4 and played in their first bowl game since 2001. Their running back, Toby Gerhart, was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. The 2010 season was even better. Stanford went 11–1 in the regular season. They won the Orange Bowl 40–12. This was Stanford's first major bowl win in a long time. Quarterback Andrew Luck was also a Heisman Trophy runner-up. Harbaugh won the Woody Hayes Coach of the Year Award.

San Francisco 49ers Head Coach

Harbaugh coaching the San Francisco 49ers in September 2013

In 2011, Harbaugh became the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers. The team had not had a winning season since 2002. Harbaugh quickly changed that. He led the 49ers to a 13–3 record in his first season. They won their division and reached the NFC Championship Game. He was named the AP NFL Coach of the Year.

In 2012, Harbaugh made a big decision. He replaced starting quarterback Alex Smith with Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick led the team to an 11–4–1 record. The 49ers won their division again. They reached Super Bowl XLVII, where they played against the Baltimore Ravens. This was special because the Ravens' coach was Jim's older brother, John Harbaugh. It was the first time brothers coached against each other in a Super Bowl. The Ravens won the game 34–31.

In 2013, the 49ers had another strong season. They went 12–4 and reached the NFC Championship for the third year in a row. Harbaugh was the first NFL coach to reach a conference championship in his first three seasons. The 49ers had an 8–8 season in 2014. After the season, Harbaugh and the 49ers decided to go their separate ways.

University of Michigan Head Coach

Harbaugh during his introductory press conference as Michigan's coach

On December 30, 2014, Jim Harbaugh returned to his alma mater. He became the new head football coach for the University of Michigan. In his first season (2015), Michigan finished with a 10–3 record. They won the Citrus Bowl against Florida.

Harbaugh in 2021

In 2021, Michigan had an amazing season. They finished the regular season 11–1. They beat Ohio State for the first time under Harbaugh. This win earned them a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game. Michigan won the Big Ten title by beating Iowa. They then made it to the College Football Playoff. Harbaugh was named the AP College Football Coach of the Year.

Harbaugh during The Game, 2022

The 2022 season was also very successful. Michigan started 11–0 for the first time since 2006. They beat Penn State and Ohio State. This earned them another Big Ten East Division title. Michigan then won the Big Ten Championship for the second year in a row. They finished 13–0, a school record. They made it to the College Football Playoff again. Harbaugh was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Harbaugh lifts the 2024 Rose Bowl trophy

In 2023, Michigan had an undefeated regular season. They won the Big Ten Championship for the third time in a row. They then won the Rose Bowl against Alabama. Finally, they defeated Washington in the CFP National Championship. This was Michigan's first national championship since 1997. Harbaugh led the team to a perfect 15–0 record.

Harbaugh (first from left) alongside Blake Corum, Will Johnson, and J. J. McCarthy at a post-game press conference after winning the 2024 CFP Championship

Los Angeles Chargers Head Coach

On January 24, 2024, Harbaugh returned to the NFL. He was hired as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. In his first year, he led the Chargers to an 11–6 record. They made it to the playoffs.

Head Coaching Record

College

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	Coaches^#	AP^°
San Diego Toreros (Pioneer Football League) (2004–2006)
2004	San Diego	7–4	3–1	2nd (North)
2005	San Diego	11–1	4–0	1st (North)
2006	San Diego	11–1	7–0	1st	W Gridiron Classic
San Diego:		29–6	14–1
Stanford Cardinal (Pacific-10 Conference) (2007–2010)
2007	Stanford	4–8	3–6	T–7th
2008	Stanford	5–7	4–5	T–6th
2009	Stanford	8–5	6–3	T–2nd	L Sun
2010	Stanford	12–1	8–1	2nd	W Orange^†	4	4
Stanford:		29–21	21–15
Michigan Wolverines (Big Ten Conference) (2015–present)
2015	Michigan	10–3	6–2	3rd (East)	W Citrus	11	12
2016	Michigan	10–3	7–2	3rd (East)	L Orange^†	10	10
2017	Michigan	8–5	5–4	4th (East)	L Outback
2018	Michigan	10–3	8–1	T–1st (East)	L Peach^†	14	14
2019	Michigan	9–4	6–3	3rd (East)	L Citrus	19	18
2020	Michigan	2–4	2–4	T–5th (East)
2021	Michigan	12–2	8–1	T–1st (East)	L Orange^†	3	3
2022	Michigan	10–0	7–0	(East)
Michigan:		71–24	49–17
Total:		129–51
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth
Expression error: Unexpected >= operator. ^#Rankings from final Coaches Poll. ^°Rankings from final AP Poll.

NFL

Team	Year	Regular season					Postseason
Team	Year	Won	Lost	Ties	Win %	Finish	Won	Lost	Win %	Result
SF	2011	13	3	0	.813	1st in NFC West	1	1	.500	Lost to New York Giants in NFC Championship Game
SF	2012	11	4	1	.719	1st in NFC West	2	1	.667	Lost to Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII
SF	2013	12	4	0	.750	2nd in NFC West	2	1	.667	Lost to Seattle Seahawks in NFC Championship Game
SF	2014	8	8	0	.500	3rd in NFC West	—	—	—	—
SF total		44	19	1	.695		5	3	.625
LAC	2024	11	6	0	.647	2nd in AFC West	0	1	.000	Lost to Houston Texans in AFC Wild Card Game
LAC total		11	6	0	.647		0	1	.000
Total		55	25	1	.685		5	4	.556

Personal Life

Harbaugh with his son

Jim Harbaugh comes from a family of coaches. His father, Jack Harbaugh, was also a college football coach. Jim has seven children. From his first marriage, he has two sons, Jay and James, and a daughter, Grace. From his second marriage, he has two daughters, Addison and Katherine, and two sons, Jack and John. His son Jay is also a football coach.

Jim's older brother, John Harbaugh, is the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. They made history as the first brothers to be head coaches in the NFL at the same time. They even coached against each other in the 2013 Super Bowl.

Harbaugh is a Roman Catholic. He has done charity work in Piura, Peru. He has also appeared on TV shows like The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. and Saved by the Bell: The New Class. In 2018, he played himself on the show Detroiters.

In 2012, Harbaugh had a medical procedure for an irregular heartbeat. He has also been a co-owner of a racing team called Panther Racing.

Advocacy and Social Issues

Harbaugh supports equal access to justice for all Americans. He has spoken about the need for legal help for people with low incomes.

You got Jim Harbaugh, the coach of Michigan football, marching today. That's not something that was happening five to six years ago. Although Jim I know, and he's been on the right side of this issue for quite some time.

In 2020, after the death of George Floyd, Harbaugh spoke out. He said that "all injustice should be confronted and punished." He also took part in a protest against police brutality in Ann Arbor. Former President Barack Obama praised Harbaugh for his involvement.