According to sources, Jay turn down his father’s Chargers to join another NFL team.
Jim Harbaugh left Michigan to coach the Los Angeles Chargers, and it appeared like his son Jay Harbaugh would
join his new staff. According to Sports Illustrated, the younger Harbaugh is in talks to join a professional staff on the
West Coast, but it may not be with his father in Los Angeles.
According to SI’s Albert Breer, Harbaugh is in talks with the Seattle Seahawks about filling the position of special
teams coordinator on Mike McDonald’s staff. Macdonald has close ties to the Harbaugh family; after long spells on
John Harbaugh’s staff with the Baltimore Ravens (2014 to ’20 in various assistant roles, ’22 to ’23 as defensive
coordinator), he spent one season as Michigan’s defensive coordinator in 2021.
Jay Harbaugh worked alongside Macdonald in Baltimore as a quality control coach from 2012 to 2014, and he later
returned to Michigan. Jay Harbaugh has been the Wolverines’ special teams coach since 2015, and he also coaches
tight ends, running backs, and safeties.
Days after Jim Harbaugh was hired by the Chargers, MLive claimed that Jay would follow in his father’s footsteps,
making the move to the Seahawks somewhat surprising. Even without his son, Harbaugh’s new Los Angeles staff will
include many familiar faces from the Harbaugh coaching tree. Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter,
strength coach Ben Herbert, and former Ravens assistant offensive line coach Mike Devlin will join the Chargers’
coaching staff. Former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman is also likely to join the staff in a “significant
position,” according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Roman was Jim Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator for the San
Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014.
