The Chargers snagged a win over the Broncos to go 3-2. But before the game even started, Jim Harbaugh had his own little battle. During warmups, he felt something weird in his heart. And, true to form, Harbaugh didn’t waste time—straight to the medical tent he went. By the first quarter, he was in the locker room getting checked out. A scare? Sure. But you know Harbaugh, he had to come out and read his own update in style.
Turns out, an EKG showed Harbaugh’s heart was back in normal rhythm, and before you knew it, he was back in action with the Chargers leading 3-0. The man’s commitment is unmatched.
As he said himself in the post-game presser, “It would take my heart stopping for me not to be out there on the sideline.” In the game of grit, he has one-upped the scare. 1 to Jim, heart 0.
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Chargers QB Justin Herbert says HC Jim Harbaugh mentioned his arrythmia episode to him last night, but was unaware he had a cardiac episode on the sideline.
“He just told us he was really excited for the game.”
“But that’s definitely something he should get checked out.”
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) October 13, 2024
The Chargers QB Justin Herbert also mentioned that Harbaugh had briefly told him about the heart issue the night before. But didn’t make a big deal of it. Typical head coach—doesn’t want to distract players before the game day. “He just told us he was excited for the game,” Herbert said. Still, you can bet Herbert’s going to check in on him—can’t have your coach skipping beats, literally.
While he did recover, Harbaugh wants to make sure that he keeps this blip in check in the long run. So, he explained that he’ll be wearing a heart monitor for the next two weeks. He’s on meds already and there’s a possibility he’ll need a procedure. But there’s nothing much to worry about as of now. Especially when the man knows what he’s doing.
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Jim Harbaugh’s battle with the old foe!
Jim Harbaugh knows a thing or two about battles, both on the field and off. So when he said, “I know what it is and how to deal with it,” he wasn’t talking about football.
For years, Harbaugh has dealt with atrial flutter, a condition that causes the heart to beat faster than it should. He’s had procedures before—one in 1999, and again in 2012 when he was coaching the 49ers after a Monday night win against the Bears. (Yeah! Colin Kaepernick led the Niners to victory. We are talking about exactly that time). It’s a familiar foe, but one that doesn’t back him down.
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Fast forward to now, the health scare that took him out of the first quarter? Atrial flutter. Same issue, different day. Harbaugh didn’t let it stop him then, and he wasn’t about to let it sideline him now. While defensive coordinator Jesse Minter briefly took over head coaching duties, Harbaugh returned just in time to lead his Chargers to a 23-16 win.
Even though the issue’s not new, Harbaugh doesn’t blame Denver’s high altitude for the scare. It’s just something he deals with, quietly, until it flares up. But as always, he handled it. LA would be hoping that it was nothing but a blip because the weight of having a good season lies with Jim.
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