Jim Harbaugh Excited For Showdown With Son Jay, Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks will re-introduce themselves to an old enemy in Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh.

Jul 24, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to the media after the first day of training camp at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports / Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

After Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh spent nine seasons at Michigan, it's only fitting his first game back in the NFL would be against his old enemy in the Seattle Seahawks.

Back when he was head coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-14, Harbaugh was the Seahawks' greatest rival as the two teams battled for NFC West supremacy. He and former Seattle head coach Pete Carroll carried over their competition from the college ranks and formed what may have been the NFL's most heated rivalry during the early 2010s.

A decade later, Harbaugh faces the Seahawks once again, but Carroll's not on the opposite sideline this time. Harbaugh’s son, Jay, who is now Seattle's special teams coordinator after working with his dad at Michigan, will be working for opposition, however.

Ahead of Saturday's game, Harbaugh detailed how he's looking forward to facing his son as an opponent once again.

"Can't wait," Harbaugh told reporters in Los Angeles Thursday. "Miss him. Miss Jay, miss Jacob and Norma and Brhitney [Jay's son, daughter and wife], but very proud. Very proud of Jay and what he's accomplished, what he's accomplishing now. I know it's going to be a real competition and real test for our special teams unit. I know he's going to bring it. It's really good for us. At the same time, son Jay, that's going to be cool. We've been on opposite sidelines two or three other times, but it's all love."

Harbaugh has faced his son before, as Jay previously worked as an offensive quality control coach for the Baltimore Ravens under his uncle John (Jim's brother) from 2012-14. As such, they faced off in Super Bowl 47, with Jay, John and the Ravens defeating Harbaugh's 49ers, 34-31.