Chargers

NCAA Hits Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh With One-Year Suspension If He Returns To College Football

August 7, 2024

The NCAA announced penalties for Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh stemming from violations during his tenure as the head coach at Michigan.

The NCAA hammers Jim Harbaugh for COVID recruiting/inducements, plus not cooperating with the investigation and provided false/misleading info.

Four-year show-cause and a one-year suspension from everything if he comes back to college football.

(Separate from sign stealing) pic.twitter.com/XfVuhSs9lP

— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) August 7, 2024

The NCAA levied a four-year show cause order against Harbaugh as well as a mandatory one-year suspension should he return to the college coaching ranks.

The penalties are for recruiting violations, providing false or misleading information and not cooperating with the NCAA’s investigation.

They obviously don’t affect Harbaugh now that he’s in the NFL with the Chargers but four years is a long time and they could end up relevant in the future if things don’t work out in Los Angeles.

It also shows perhaps why Harbaugh was ready to make the jump to the NFL, though winning a national title might have played a role along with other factors like the Chargers reportedly paying him $16 million a year.

Harbaugh, 60, was a first-round pick out of Michigan by the Bears in 1987. He played 14 years in the league before becoming a coach, first with the Raiders. He was hired by San Diego as head coach in 2004 and took the same position with Stanford in 2007.

The 49ers hired Harbaugh as their head coach in 2007. He was fired in 2014 and hired as head coach at Michigan. After nine years culminating in a national title win in 2023, Harbaugh returned to the NFL as the head coach of the Chargers.

During his four years with the 49ers, he led them to a record of 44-19-1 (69.5 percent), which included three playoff appearances and an NFC Championship.

At Michigan, Harbaugh’s teams have produced a record of 85-25 (77.7 percent). That includes a 2-6 record in bowl games and three trips to the College Football Playoff.