3 reasons why the Las Vegas Raiders should hire Jim Harbaugh
3 reasons why the Las Vegas Raiders should hire Jim Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh is older and wiser and can navigate the politics of an NFL organization
If you’re reading through this and seeing all of the incredible things that Jim Harbaugh accomplished at the NFL and college level, you may be wondering why he left the 49ers despite his success and an incredible record. The reason they “mutually agreed to part ways” is that Harbaugh and 49ers brass repeatedly clashed over personnel decisions and they simply could not get along.
Harbaugh was known for being somewhat abrasive and we saw how intense he got on the sidelines during games so, understandably, some of that leaked into the day-to-day operations of the team. From all reports, Harbaugh was never interested in playing politics in the workplace and was just focused on the team while his rival, GM Trent Baalke, was all about politics and positioning himself as the lead voice in the room.
This relationship reportedly reached a boiling point in the 2014 season when the 49ers “struggled” and finished with an 8-8 record after 3 straight winning seasons. Harbaugh was reportedly told that no matter what happened that season he would no longer be the coach and the team even tried to trade him to the Cleveland Browns.
Instead, he took over his alma mater and has shown no interest in an NFL job for 6 years.
Now that he is older and wiser and more familiar with the inner workings of an NFL organization, we can expect a more agreeable approach from Harbaugh if he takes over as coach of the Raiders. He started his NFL coaching career there as the QB coach during the 2002 and 2003 seasons so he knows the organization and has a great relationship with owner Mark Davis.
Next. Could the Las Vegas Raiders and LA Chargers both make the playoffs?. dark
We don’t know if Harbaugh would insist on having full control of personnel or if he would be willing to work with a GM, whether it’s Mike Mayock or his potential replacement, but he has a good track record there as well. What we do know is that Harbaugh has everything you want in a head coach: experience, the right personality to create a winning culture, the ability to navigate egos in a locker room, and most importantly a track record of success.
The decision on who the next head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders will be the most important one Mark Davis has ever had to make and there are plenty of reasons why Jim Harbaugh is the right choice.