Chargers News: How Jim Harbaugh's Contract Stacks Up Against Other Coaches

The LA head coach is making serious coin.

For the Spanos family, inking new Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh didn't come cheap.

Per Jacob Zinkula of Business Insider, his $16 million annual sticker price is the second-most for any coach in the country, for any sport, just $2 million shy of Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton's US-leading salary.

Harbaugh's contract puts him on a par with San Antonio Spurs head coach/general manager Gregg Popovich, who has steered his team to five NBA titles and six Finals appearances during his nearly 30-year career in that capacity with the franchise.

Having coached just four seasons at the pro level previously, Jim Harbaugh, is now set to earn $4 million more a season than his brother John, whose Baltimore Ravens, as you'll no doubt recall, beat Jim's San Francisco 49ers in the 2013 Super Bowl. Is it an overpay for the reigning College Football Playoff champ, or is this just the price of doing business in 2024, when Harbaugh had emerged as clearly the top head coaching free agent target on the market? 

Time will tell, and there's no denying Harbaugh is a winning coach who's put up prolific numbers everywhere he's been in charge. Among active coaches, he now boasts the best winning percentage in the league thanks to his four largely successful San Francisco 49ers years.