As a coach for the 49ers, Jim Harbaugh went on an unmatched run, reaching the NFC championship game in his first three years. Will this upcoming year be when he returns to the final rounds of the playoffs?
In his first three years as 49ers coach, Jim Harbaugh made three straight NFC championship games and came within a throw of winning one Super Bowl. The only coach in league history to accomplish three straight championship games to start a tenure with a new team. He's looking to match and eclipse this previous run with the Chargers. By comparison, he's behind schedule, but his resume shows his potential to lead a team to the final four.
The right coordinator for the job
Greg Roman has been Harbaugh's offensive coordinator at Stanford, the 49ers, and, until he was let go recently, at the Chargers as well. The run-heavy style at that time, led by Frank Gore, worked like a charm on a team loaded on defense and playing ball-control offense. If and when Mike McDaniel is officially announced as his replacement, they'll have a coordinator and playcaller who can better take advantage of the vertical game with Justin Herbert.
A fanbase starving for postseason success
While Harbaugh is no stranger to conference championship games, the Chargers haven't appeared in one since 2008, when they were still in San Diego. They brought the coach in to bring a winner's mentality and be a quarterback whisperer as a former league QB. I don't believe anything short of another conference championship will appease the fanbase. He's done it before and probably has the field general with the best passing ability out of all he's coached in the league.
A single Super Bowl appearance in the team's history
The Chargers are 1-3 historically in AFC championship games. Before the 2008 loss, they hadn't been to the final four since 1995. A game they won that led to their own Super Bowl appearance and loss. Next January will mark the tenth anniversary of the Bolts leaving San Diego. Having drafted an all-world talent at quarterback and built a roster that can compete on both sides of the field, it's about time for a deep playoff run. How sweet would it be with an AFC championship game exactly a decade after arriving in Los Angeles?
Harbaugh has proven capable before, and the Chargers hope he can take them on a signature three-year run starting this upcoming season. After all, that's what they brought him in for. Going from being the other team in L.A. to hopefully being victorious in the near future would simply be storybook. The legacy of this great coach will be closer to beingcomplete with a Super Bowl win as well.