By CNN
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The Los Angeles Chargers have hired Jim Harbaugh as the team’s new head coach, the team announced Wednesday.
The move comes after Harbaugh spent nine seasons coaching his alma mater, the University of Michigan, where he led the Wolverines to a College Football Playoff national championship earlier this month.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the news. Harbaugh replaces Brandon Staley, who was fired in December.
Harbaugh, 60, said he will “always be a loyal Wolverine” and expressed excitement for his future with the Chargers in a statement through the team.
“I’m remarkably fortunate to have been afforded the privilege of coaching at places where life’s journey has created strong personal connections for me,” Harbaugh said. “Being back here feels like home, and it’s great to see that those things haven’t changed.”
“The only job you start at the top is digging a hole, so we know we’ve got to earn our way,” Harbaugh’s statement continued. “My priorities are faith, family and football, and we are going to attack each with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. This organization is putting in the work — investing capital, building infrastructure and doing everything within its power to win. Great effort equals great results, and we’re just getting started.”
Chargers owner and board chair Dean Spanos described Harbaugh as “football personified” in a statement.
“The son of a coach, brother of a coach and father of a coach who himself was coached by names like Schembechler and Ditka, for the past two decades Jim has led hundreds of men to success everywhere he’s been — as their coach. And today, Jim Harbaugh returns to the Chargers, this time as our coach. Who has it better than us?”
Harbaugh has coached in the NFL before, spending four seasons as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.
In the 2012 season, he lost in Super Bowl XLVII against his older brother and Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. In his four NFL seasons as a head coach, Harbaugh led the 49ers to the NFC championship game three times and had an overall record of 49-22-1, including 5-3 in the postseason.
The national championship for Michigan was the crowning moment for Harbaugh in a season filled with plenty of questions surrounding the Michigan football team – and potential NCAA punishment.
Harbaugh was suspended for the team’s first three games, a self-imposed sanction by Michigan’s athletics department, amid allegations of recruiting violations. The NCAA, which has an open investigation into the matter, could potentially choose to add further penalties in that case.
The NCAA opened a second investigation into the Wolverines in October for alleged sign-stealing, leading to the suspension and subsequent resignation of Michigan football analyst Connor Stalions. Linebackers coach Chris Partridge was later fired, but Michigan didn’t elaborate on why he was let go.
Harbaugh has denied knowledge of any scheme to steal other teams’ signs, and – after initial protest – accepted a three-game suspension, upping his total games away from the Michigan sideline to six.
Both NCAA investigations into Michigan remain ongoing.
Harbaugh also coached collegiately at the University of San Diego and Stanford.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
