Baltimore Ravens’ head coach John Harbaugh is one of the most consistent and succesful leaders in the NFL, with his teams always considered as Super Bowl contenders.
His younger brother Jim (He’s 60 years old and his sibling, 62) is also a very succesful head coach, with a College Football Playoff National Championship under his belt (with the Michigan Wolverines).
Baltimore Ravens’ head coach John Harbaugh challenges younger brother Jim to an arm wrestling match
Now he’s on his second stint as a head coach in the NFL (he coached the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014), this time with the Los Angeles Chargers. So far, Jim’s team is doing very well this 2024 season with a 7-3 record which puts them at the second place of the AFC West Conference, just behind the defending champions Chiefs and their 10-1 record, the best in the NFL so far.
The Harbaughs have history
John and JimHarbaugh have a history in the NFL, with the older brother having an advantage and a 2-0 record over Jim. The Ravens beat Jim’s 49ers back in 2011 and in Super Bowl XLVII, where Baltimore beat San Francisco once again.
And the brothers meet again this Monday Night Football when the Chargers host the Ravens at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Before the match, the Harbaugh’s had a chance to catch up and exchange a couple of words and a friendly invitation to a fight.
“You look good,” said John to Jim and then proceeded to ask his younger brother if he has been lifting weights. “Arm wrestling? Wanna arm wrestle later?” said the Ravens coach.
“I’ll wrestle you before,” replied Jim Harbaugh, and his older brother laughed and said that he does recall how did that go.
What’s at stake for each team?
The Ravens can pull within a half-game of the Steelers (8-3) in the AFC North with a victory. Monday night’s winner will also gain an edge in possible AFC playoff tiebreaker scenarios.
The Chargers, who finished 5-12 in 2023, have won four straight and can take another step toward making the playoffs in Jim Harbaugh’s first season in Los Angeles.
This isn’t as big as the Super Bowl, but “HarBowl 3” is an important game for both teams. The Ravens want to bounce back from their Week 11 loss in Pittsburgh. The Chargers want to maintain their momentum and can make a statement by knocking off Baltimore in primetime. Both coaches want the focus kept on the players, but it will be an emotional night for the Harbaugh family.
