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Jim Harbaugh Gets Shout Out From His 'Hero' SpongeBob Ahead of Playoff Game

The Chargers coach previously referred to the sponge as his "hero."

Eva Geitheim

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. / David Butler II-Imagn Images
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The Los Angeles Chargers-Houston Texans wild-card game will be broadcast on both CBS and Nickelodeon, the latter of which will air the game with a SpongeBob SquarePants-themed altcast. Before the game began Saturday, SpongeBob quoted Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh's signature line: "Who's got it better than us? Nobody!"

SpongeBob repeating Harbaugh's famous quote was especially perfect because Harbaugh has previously noted that SpongeBob is one of his "heroes."

“Yeah, I love SpongeBob," Harbaugh said last year on Pardon My Take. "Just the way he attacks with enthusiasm unknown to mankind at all times. Always happy. Always positive. Energetic. 

“It’s some of the times where he’s flipping the burgers like he’s got four or five or six arms," Harbaugh added. "He loves it, he loves work. Takes pride in his work. What’s there not to love about SpongeBob?”

Harbaugh is unsurprisingly not as much of a fan of Squidward Tentacles, who does not share SpongeBob's optimism. SpongeBob and Harbaugh are known for their positive outlooks and relatively unusual senses of humor, making Harbaugh and Los Angeles the right team to be featured on this Nickelodeon broadcast.

Along with SpongeBob and Patrick Star, the Nickelodeon broadcast will feature several other classic cartoon characters from the network, including the iconic Dora the Explorer.

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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.

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