The NFL spotlight is squarely on Week 12’s Monday night matchup, a game steeped in both family ties and playoff implications.
Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers will take on John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens in what some are dubbing the third Harbaugh Bowl. Yet, for all the narrative fodder, Jim Harbaugh is doing his best to keep the focus on the field, not the familial rivalry.
“I’m sure he doesn’t want to make it about him, and I don’t want to make it about me,” the Chargers head coach said when pressed about facing his brother again. “It is what it is. Big game, for sure. Two teams having at it.”
This matchup marks the first time the Harbaugh brothers will meet as NFL head coaches since the legendary showdown in Super Bowl XLVII. That clash ended in heartbreak for Jim, whose San Francisco 49ers came up short against John’s Ravens in a 34-31 thriller. Reflecting on that game, Jim Harbaugh admitted, “At the time, that was tough. But after some time and reflection, it’s my brother, it’s my best friend. Really proud of him. Really happy for his success. It was earned.”
Jim’s 49ers appeared destined for another Super Bowl run after their 2012 season, but the NFL has a way of derailing even the best-laid plans. His squad fell to the Seattle Seahawks in the 2013 NFC Championship Game, and by the end of the following season, Harbaugh found himself out of the NFL after a disappointing 8-8 campaign.
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“Walking off the field at that Super Bowl, it was like, ‘there will be another day.’ And then there wasn’t for many years,” Harbaugh said. “It looked like I wouldn’t have a chance for another day. But by the grace of God … back in it. Back on a team that has a chance to do that. So I’m very thankful.”
Harbaugh spent nearly a decade in college football, where he built Michigan into a powerhouse, culminating in an undefeated season and a College Football Playoff National Championship in 2023. His success in Ann Arbor paved the way for his return to the NFL, landing him in Los Angeles with a Chargers team in need of a spark.
The transition has been seamless so far, with Harbaugh leading the Chargers to a 7-3 record. Anchored by Justin Herbert’s stellar play under center, Los Angeles has emerged as a legitimate playoff contender. Monday night’s game will be a significant test for Harbaugh’s squad, as the Ravens (7-4) bring a physicality and experience that the Chargers have only occasionally faced this season.
Despite the hype surrounding his matchup with John, Jim Harbaugh has been quick to shift the narrative toward his players—particularly Herbert. “Walking into this building, you could see the potential right away,” Harbaugh said of the Chargers’ franchise quarterback. “He’s the kind of player who elevates everyone around him.”
Still, the Harbaugh-versus-Harbaugh angle looms large. The brothers are no strangers to NFL history books, and while John holds a 2-0 edge in their head-to-head meetings, Jim’s Chargers are eager to flip the script.
The NFL schedule-makers ensured that this game would take center stage, and for good reason. With both teams jockeying for playoff positioning and the family storyline adding an extra layer of intrigue, Monday night promises to be a marquee event.
If the Chargers emerge victorious, Jim Harbaugh will likely have little interest in revisiting the brotherly rivalry. Instead, the conversation will shift to how his team is growing into a formidable postseason threat. But make no mistake—beneath the measured responses and media deflections, Monday’s game means a great deal to both Harbaughs.
For Jim, it’s not just a chance to best his brother on the NFL stage for the first time—it’s a validation of his long road back to the league and proof that the Chargers are a team to be reckoned with. Monday night isn’t just another game. It’s a defining moment for both Harbaugh brothers, with legacies and playoff hopes hanging in the balance.