The Jim Harbaugh rumors have started flying once again. Every year it seems like somebody connects the Michigan head coach to the NFL. This time though feels different. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic reported that Harbaugh’s interest in returning to the pro level is real. Much of it is due to his advancing age (58-years old) and that two prominent jobs he covets might be available in the Las Vegas Raiders and Chicago Bears.
It also seems that the interest is mutual. Benjamin Allbright of KOA Radio in Denver, a prominent NFL insider, stated that both the Raiders and Bears are interested in him. That certainly makes for an interesting subplot as the final week of the regular season nears its end. What people remain uncertain about is the sort of power Harbaugh might be looking for if he does return. Everybody should remember the ugly fallout from what happened with him in San Francisco.
His rift with then-GM Trent Baalke was common knowledge.
That is why some believe he won’t return to the NFL unless he’s either given the final say over the roster or is able to work with a GM he trusts. A source informed me that the coach actually may have somebody in mind for the latter were he to get the job in Chicago. That is Jeff Ireland. For those who don’t know, he is the current assistant GM for the New Orleans Saints and was the GM for the Miami Dolphins from 2008 to 2013.
If that seems like a random connection, it shouldn’t. Ireland is the grandson of former Bears scout Jim Parmer. A prominent member of their front office during their run in the 1980s.
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“He was my inspiration. I spent (seven) summers with him, often sitting in film rooms with a 16-millimeter projector just watching football, looking at players. That’s how I fell in love with scouting.”
This timeline would line up with what happened in 1987 when the Bears drafted a young quarterback out of Michigan. A kid named Jim Harbaugh. So it’s a safe bet the two know each other personally as well as professionally. It is also worth mentioning Ireland tried to hire Harbaugh in 2011 when he was with the Dolphins. So this connection goes back a long way.
Jim Harbaugh has a keen eye for able people
The head coach has proven many times he’s not only able to scout talented players but also coaches. It isn’t hard to imagine he can sense good scouts too. Ireland is widely viewed as one of the best talent evaluators in the NFL today. His track record backs this up. The man first emerged in league circles as the college and pro scouting director with the Dallas Cowboys from 2005 to 2007. The list of players he helped acquire during that stretch was notable, to say the least.
- DeMarcus Ware
- Marion Barber
- Jay Ratliff
- Jason Hatcher
- Anthony Spencer
- Miles Austin
That run of success helped him get the GM job in Miami where the trend continued.
- Jake Long
- Vontae Davis
- Reshod Jones
- Mike Pouncey
- Ryan Tannehill
- Olivier Vernon
- Lamar Miller
Sadly a bad head coaching hire in 2012 coupled with some controversies around his draft interview process led to his dismissal. Ireland landed on his feet though. New Orleans made him their assistant GM in 2015 and he’s been rolling ever since.
- Andrus Peat
- Michael Thomas
- Marshon Lattimore
- Ryan Ramczyk
- Trey Hendrickson
- Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
The guy has helped find good football players everywhere he’s been. Jim Harbaugh no doubt thinks he’d do the same in Chicago. All he needs as a head coach is a steady supply of talent and he can win a lot of football games. Especially if he were able to unlock the full potential of Justin Fields at quarterback.
