The 2024 Los Angeles Chargers coaching staff under head coach Jim Harbaugh quickly became public knowledge even before the team formally introduced him as its new coach. However, Harbaugh may quickly be reminded of how quickly NFL teams pull talent from other staffs around the league.
Shortly after news broke that Harbaugh would replace Brandon Staley in Los Angeles, reporters surfaced of big names joining the Chargers coaching staff. Michigan’s defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, one of the best defensive minds in football, would fill the same role in Los Angeles.
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Meanwhile, Harbaugh was also poised to add former assistant Greg Roman to his staff along with several top coaches from Michigan. Among them were strength coach Ben Herbert and Harbaugh’s son Jay Harbaugh. Days after his press conference, however, it appears Jim’s dream staff of assistant coaches might not come together after all.
According to Matt Zenitz of 247 Sports, Jay Harbaugh is reportedly also under strong consideration for a role with the Seattle Seahawks.
Chargers rumors: Jim Harbaugh, Seahawks competing for Jay Harbaugh
Jay Harbaugh, age 34, initially seemed like an obvious addition to the Chargers coaching staff. The California native joined his father’s staff in 2015 as a tight ends coach and assistant special teams coordinator. By 2017, he was the Wolverines’ special teams coordinator and coached a variety of positions from 2017-’23.
After spending nearly a decade coaching in college, his father’s move to Los Angeles provided the perfect opportunity for Jay to also return to the NFL. Prior to joining Michigan’s staff, he was an offensive quality control coach for the Baltimore Ravens from 2012-’14.
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However, new Seahawks’ coach Mike Macdonald is reportedly prepared to compete with his former boss for the up-and-coming assistant. Macdonald and Jay have worked previously, with Macdonald serving as the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator in 2021.
While most would expect Harbaugh to ultimately join his father’s staff, working elsewhere could be better for his NFL career. Learning from a new head coach and picking up different concepts from a different staff, all while competing against his father at the highest level, may ultimately help accelerate Jay’s path to becoming an NFL head coach in the future. If the Seahawks land their guy, it would be another significant addition in Macdonald’s early days as a first-year head coach.
