AFC Notes: Jim Harbaugh, Patrick Mahomes, Mike Vrabel, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Chargers

• The Athletic’s Jeff Howe notes if the Chargers hire Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh, they will have to navigate how much personnel power he wants and who to pair him with as a general manager, as his first NFL stint was submarined by conflict with then-49ers GM Trent Baalke.
• Howe notes Michigan director of player personnel Tom Gamble, who has significant NFL experience, is an option to follow Harbaugh to the NFL. Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham, who Los Angeles has requested for an interview, has some ties to Harbaugh as well. 

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is confident both their offense and defense can kick into a higher level this postseason. 

“Not only in our offense, but in our football team,” Mahomes said, via ProFootballTalk. “You see how the defense is playing, offensively I feel like we’re going to play our best football at the right time. I think if we can just score — we don’t even have to score too many points if we can just score enough points our defense will shut the door and we can find a way to get the win.”

Mahomes thinks the amount of big games they’ve played will be beneficial for their playoff run. 

“We play in a lot of big games, playing games on short rest, we play in night games, whatever it is,” Mahomes said. “I think just having that experience is going to help us. Having those games where not everything is going your way, and you have to find a way to pull through and get a win. A lot of guys on this team have done that.”

Mahomes wants them to “rely on our experience” going forward. 

“The step up that you always see going into the playoffs, it will be a step up, but I think we can make it even a little bit smaller because we’ve been in games like this. Just being able to rely on our experiences and go out there and be the best team we can be and play our best football and see what happens.”

Raiders

• SI’s Albert Breer believes the Raiders could be a logical landing spot for former Titans HC Mike Vrabel due to his connection with Tom Brady.
• Breer also believes that Vrabel could bring Patriots OC Bill O’Brien, former Giants HC Joe Judge, Eagles senior defensive assistant Matt Patricia, and possibly even former Alabama HC Nick Saban with him on his staff.