Unlike ‘Power Struggle’ at 49ers, Jim Harbaugh’s Ideas Are ‘Bought Into’ by Chargers, Reveals QB

Jim Harbaugh is revolutionizing the Charges team! After his NCAA success with the Michigan Wolverines football, Harbaugh returned to the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers. He took over the team after Brandon Staley’s reign which saw the team losing 9 games and winning only 5. While many speculated how the 60-year-old would fare after his previous problems at the 49ers, a veteran Chargers’ QB has put the doubts to bed.

Easton Stick recently appeared on the ‘Hot Mic’ with Dom Izzo. Stick pledged his allegiance to the new head coach and said, “He’s (Harbaugh) someone I want to play for.” The 28-year-old cited how star players like Khalil Mack are sweating it out in the OTAs before the season – but why so? According to the QB, Harbaugh has a lot of credibility under his belt, and, “Guys are bought into him.”

Stick is not the only Chargers QB to speak about the new boss. In an interview with ESPN’s Kris Rhim, Justin Herbert also expressed his excitement to get the season going. The 26-year-old, who registered 3,134 passing yards and 20 touchdowns, brought up the illustrious career of his new head coach. He said Harbaugh has “won wherever he’s at.” The former NFL first-round pick does make a good point there.

After joining Michigan in 2015, the Ohio native won three successive Big 10 Conference titles and the National Championship in 2023. Previous to that, Harbaugh also led the San Francisco 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII, with the team winning the Conference Championship. Despite a successful partnership, Harbaugh exited the franchise after the 2014 season.

Jim Harbaugh fell out with the 49ers GM

Jim Harbaugh had a big fallout in his last season with the 49ers hierarchy. After losing the 2013 NFC Championship game against the Seahawks, the relationship between the HC and former General Manager Trent Baalke broke down. Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle reported a “power struggle” broke out between the coach and the GM. As the team failed to qualify for the playoffs with an 8-8 record in 2014, Harbaugh left the franchise to take over Michigan in 2015.

As they say, the rest is history! Now, Jim Harbaugh is starting a brand new journey in the NFL. In June 2024, the former Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman praised the “leadership” at the franchise since the new coach’s arrival. Although Merriman is unsure how the franchise will recover after a tough 2023 season, he claimed, “I haven’t seen it like this since the teams I played on.”

Daylen Baldwin, the Atalanta Falcons’ WR, explained Jim Harbaugh’s coaching style after playing at Michigan in 2021. If he is to be believed, the head coach will “let you know what it is.” He further claimed Harbaugh wants his players to leave their previous experiences at the door and adapt to his way of coaching. The strong style is already evident from the way Jim has gotten rid of former key players like Mike Williams.

But, from what Easton Stick had to say, the majority of the Chargers roster is already getting used to Harbaugh’s style of play. Will that translate to on-field success? Only time will tell.