EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Jim Harbaugh is looking forward to collaborating with general manager Joe Hortiz to develop an offseason strategy for the Los Angeles Chargers. However, these plans will be temporarily delayed as Harbaugh is scheduled to undergo two medical procedures soon.
During his end-of-season press conference on Wednesday, Harbaugh announced that he will have an ablation procedure to address an irregular heartbeat and will also need hip replacement surgery. This decision comes after Harbaugh experienced an irregular heartbeat during the first half of a game against the Denver Broncos on October 13, which the Chargers won 23-16. He briefly entered the medical tent before heading to the locker room, where medical staff monitored his heart rate with an EKG and provided IV and magnesium treatments.
After the procedure showed that his heart was back in rhythm, Harbaugh rejoined his team on the sidelines. The 61-year-old coach revealed that he has been managing atrial flutter for several years, a condition that causes the heart to beat at an accelerated rate. Following a consultation with a cardiologist, he wore a heart monitor for two weeks and was prescribed a blood thinner.
This upcoming ablation will be Harbaugh’s third; his first occurred in 1999 while he was still an active player, and the second took place in 2012. In an ablation, specific heart cells are either burned or frozen to create tiny scars in the heart tissue, which can help correct irregular rhythms. Harbaugh has also faced mobility issues this season, often limping noticeably while transitioning from the sideline to the locker room due to ongoing hip discomfort.
Returning to the NFL after a successful season at Michigan, where he led the team to a College Football Playoff championship, Harbaugh has already improved the Chargers’ record by six wins. As he partners with Hortiz in the coming months leading up to training camp, they will focus on enhancing the roster.
Despite a disappointing 32-12 loss against the Houston Texans in the AFC wild-card playoff game, Harbaugh praised his team’s overall performance, reflecting on a successful 11-7 season. “I genuinely believed we were as competitive as the top teams in the playoffs going into that game. Unfortunately, we fell short that day,” he stated. He acknowledged the team had not executed complementary football and took accountability for the shortcomings.
The game was particularly challenging for quarterback Justin Herbert, who threw four interceptions and completed only 14 of 32 passes for 242 yards with a single touchdown. With career-low numbers in both passer rating and completion percentage, Harbaugh defended Herbert, asserting that the coaching staff had not provided adequate support to help him succeed.
Hortiz drew parallels between Herbert’s early playoff struggles and the rocky starts of quarterbacks like Peyton Manning and Lamar Jackson, both of whom faced hurdles in their initial postseason appearances. “It’s unjust to judge Justin based on just two playoff games when so many great quarterbacks have experienced similar challenges,” said Hortiz.
This offseason will afford the Chargers a more favorable salary cap situation than the previous year, although they are also facing an increase in key free agents, including nine who played significant roles on one-year contracts. Notable names include running back J.K. Dobbins, cornerback Kristian Fulton, and linebacker Denzel Perryman. Additionally, linebacker Khalil Mack will enter unrestricted free agency, while offensive tackle Rashawn Slater is on track for the fifth-year option of his rookie contract.
“Focusing on one position can lead to other areas being overlooked. From an organizational perspective, we aim to enhance all aspects, including competition and internal processes,” stated Hortiz.
Harbaugh also indicated that he does not anticipate major changes to the coaching staff. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter’s name has surfaced in conversations regarding head coach vacancies around the league, while quarterback Justin Herbert would benefit from the potential return of offensive coordinator Greg Roman for just the second time in his career as he enters his sixth season.
