Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is well-versed in statistics. Yet sometimes a statistic, no matter how well explained, can still surprise even a veteran coach. One fact from NFL history recently left him astonished: after nearly a century of the league, what surprising detail could have such an impact?
John Harbaugh Marvels at NFL Achievement of His Brother
John Harbaugh played defensive back at Miami University (Ohio) from 1980 to 1983 but never joined the NFL as a player. Football is a family tradition: his father, Jack, coached from high school through college between 1962 and 2023 and now appears to be retired at 86.
Meanwhile, John’s brother Jim Harbaugh is currently the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Before his coaching career, Jim played 14 seasons in the NFL for the Bears, Colts, Ravens, and Chargers, earning a unique record.
Jim ran for 2,787 yards in his NFL career, while iconic running back Bo Jackson ran for 2,782 yards from 1987 to 1990 as a Raider. Both made one Pro Bowl. Jim had 19 comeback wins, and in 1995, he nearly led the Colts to the Super Bowl, but Aaron Bailey couldn’t bring in the final Hail Mary.
John was astonished when he learned about his brother Jim’s achievement of having more rushing yards than Jackson. “Jim? Oh my God. That is remarkable. Jim Harbaugh is truly one of the most underrated quarterbacks in NFL history.”
Apart from John, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer were also surprised by the stat. Even Pete Carroll didn’t knew the fact that Jim had more rushing yards in his NFL career than Jackson.
The oldest Harbaugh child climbed the coaching ranks. Most notably, he served as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Eagles under Andy Reid from 1998 to 2007. He started with special teams before taking over the defensive backs. In 2008, the Ravens hired him, and he remains with the team today.
In the following years, the Ravens won a Super Bowl, and their coach has a .616 winning percentage, earning 13 wins in 24 playoff games. This Sunday, Baltimore plays a must-win game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, with the victor earning a playoff spot and division crown.
Now John knows that Jim enjoyed both a lengthy and exciting football career. If the Steelers win on Sunday, the Chargers and Ravens could face off in the playoffs.
Previously, in Super Bowl XLVII, John’s Ravens defeated Jim’s San Francisco 49ers, 34-31. With a potential playoff rematch looming, what should fans expect? The Chargers feature the No. 24 offense, according to PFSN’s NFL Offense Impact Metric.
According to PFSN Analytics, the Chargers currently have a 44.5% chance of finishing the regular season as the sixth seed in the AFC. Their most likely matchup in the Wild Card round will be against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but if they fell to the seventh seed, they are expected to face the New England Patriots.
