T
he Jim Harbaugh experience is in full effect. After winning a national championship with Michigan in 2023, the legendary coach took over the Los Angeles Chargers job, hoping to bring out the full potential of a promising team. And in his first season, he took the first step towards achieving that as he led the Chargers to the playoffs with an 11-6 record.
But now that he knows what his team is capable of and has seen it first hand, Harbaugh now has a different goal with the Chargers that he expressed on The Rich Eisen Show last week. The goal? Turn his superstar quarterback, Justin Herbert, into a Hall of Famer.
Harbaugh and His Mission
During his career, Harbaugh has become known for his animated personality, which he brings out whenever he is roaming the sidelines. But off the field, he is a players’ coach, creating close bonds with the players on his team. And when it comes to Herbert, he spoke to Eisen about how he wants to help the star eventually reach the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“I woke up the other day and said, ‘I got to get Justin Herbert to the Hall of Fame. Must get Justin Herbert to the Hall of Fame,'” Harbaugh said on the show. “It’s one of those things you wake up at 3:30, 4 in the morning. Sometimes, that’s when your best ideas come.”
Harbaugh has not shied away from praising Herbert since his arrival in Los Angeles. In November of last season, Harbaugh spoke with Pro Football Talk and declared that Herbert was one of the best quarterbacks of all time. In his first season playing for Harbaugh, Herbert threw for 3,870 yards, 23 touchdowns and only three interceptions while completing 65.9% of his passes.
Chargers Roster Revamp
In order for Herbert to become a Hall of Fame, a lot still has to happen. Super Bowls need to be won, individual accolades need to awarded and sustainable success throughout his tenure needs to be achieved. But Harbaugh takes everything he says and does very seriously, and has made sure that the Chargers provide the necessary pieces for Herbert to be successful.
“You kind of process that, that would mean winning a couple of Super Bowls and a lot of people would benefit from that,” Harbaugh said. “That’s a worthy goal, and I think it’s necessary we get him surrounded with as many good football players to his level as possible.”
This offseason, the Chargers have invested a lot in acquiring the necessary talent for Herbert. In the draft, the Chargers selected running back Omarion Hampton in the first round before taking wide receiver, Tre Harris, in the second. On day three, they drafted wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith and tight end Oronde Gadsden II. During free agency, the most notable moves that the Chargers made were trading for Najee Harris, bringing back wide receiver Mike Williams and bringing in offensive line help in Andre James and Mekhi Becton. Last making the Super Bowl during the 1994 season, the Chargers are going all in on being contenders this season.
Chargers’ Head Coach, Jim Harbaugh, States His Goal With Team