The Chargers are in the playoffs after Saturday’s convincing win over the Patriots and that marked a major turnaround for a team that finished 5-12 last season.
It’s not the first time that their head coach Jim Harbaugh has been part of such a shift in his first year with a team. Harbaugh took the 2011 49ers from 6-10 to 13-3 in his first year with that club — per the Associated Press, he’s the first coach to take over two teams off losing records and guide them to the playoffs — and he was also responsible for a major change in fortunes for the University of Michigan in between those two stints.
At a press conference after Saturday’s win, Harbaugh was asked why he’s been able to have such an immediate impact on his teams.
“Yeah, I really just speak of this team. Very little to do with me. If it goes right, then it’s our players,” Harbaugh said, via a transcript from the Patriots. “They’re doing a great job. It’s gone bad a couple times. That’s on me. But, yeah, this is – I’ve been drinking the Kool-Aid here. From day one, it’s really started with – I mean, I can’t give enough credit to Derwin James, Justin Herbert, and those two in particular. And Khalil Mack and Rashawn Slater. I mean, stalwarts. Brad Bozeman has come in. He’s been a stalwart. There’s a bunch. . . . As a coach, I’ll end it by saying, answering that question, there’s no coach who could have it better than to be coaching these players. Nobody. Maybe the only one would be future us could have it better than us.”
Harbaugh’s 2011 49ers team advanced all the way to the NFC Championship Game before losing to the Giants. The Chargers will get their chance to make a similar run once the postseason gets underway next month.
