3. Experienced NFL coach
Harbaugh's coaching trip brought him back to Michigan, but it all started in the AFC West.
Following his NFL playing career, Harbaugh spent the 2002 and 2003 seasons as the Raiders' quarterbacks coach.
He was then the head coach at the University of San Diego (2004-2006) and the head coach at Stanford (2007-2010) before moving to the NFL as head coach of the 49ers in 2011.
Harbaugh posted a 49-22-1 record with the 49ers (including the playoffs) and led San Francisco to the NFC Championship in each of his first three seasons. He became the first coach in NFL history to reach the conference championship game in his first three seasons as a head coach.
Harbaugh was the 2011 NFL Coach of the Year after he turned around a franchise that hadn't had a winning season or playoff appearance since 2002. The 49ers went 13-3 in his first season.
The highlight of Harbaugh's tenure with the 49ers came during the 2012 season when San Francisco reached Super Bowl XLVII.
San Francisco went 11-4-1 and won its second straight NFC West title despite a mid-season quarterback change from starter Alex Smith to backup Colin Kaepernick mid-season.
The 49ers went 12-4 in 2013 and reached their third straight NFC title game. Harbaugh compiled a 5-3 record with the 49ers.
Harbaugh starred at Michigan before embarking on a 15-year NFL career at quarterback.
He was selected 26th overall by the Bears in the 1987 NFL Draft and spent seven seasons in Chicago. Harbaugh played in 89 games, including 65 with Chicago.
Harbaugh later moved to Indianapolis, where his career reached new heights as a player.
His best season came in 1995 where he set career highs in completion percentage (63.7 percent) and touchdown passes (17) while leading the Colts to the AFC Championship Game.
The quarterback was voted to the Pro Bowl, won Comeback Player of the Year and also finished fourth in MVP voting. He was later inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor in 2005.
Harbaugh spent a year with the Ravens before spending the final two seasons of his career with the Chargers. He made 17 appearances for the Bolts in 1999 and 2000.
5. Famous football family
Football runs deep in the Harbaugh family.
Harbaugh's father, Jack, was a longtime football coach at the collegiate level with stops at Bowling Green, Iowa, Michigan and elsewhere.
Jack Harbaugh also spent five seasons as Western Michigan State's head coach before leading the Western Kentucky football program from 1989 to 2002.
The Hilltoppers would finish 91-68 under Jack Harbaugh, who led the school to its first and only NCAA Division I-AA (now known as FCS) championship. The program won two conference titles with four playoff appearances with Jack Harbaugh in charge.
Jack Harbaugh will join his son Jim as an assistant at Stanford and The latest developments In Michigan in 2023.
Harbaugh's brother, John, is currently in his 16th season as the Ravens' coach. The brothers have met three times, including Super Bowl XLVII.
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