John and Jim Harbaugh are brothers who both became NFL head coaches—and who made football history by facing one another in Super Bowl XLVII. John won that game, leading the Baltimore Ravens past Jim’s San Francisco 49ers, 34–31, on February 3, 2013. Today, John coaches the New York Giants and Jim coaches the Los Angeles Chargers.
John and Jim Harbaugh are brothers who both became NFL head coaches—and who made football history by facing one another in Super Bowl XLVII. John won that game, leading the Baltimore Ravens past Jim’s San Francisco 49ers, 34–31, on February 3, 2013. Their careers, however, are not identical: John built one of the NFL’s most consistent coaching tenures, while Jim has won major championships in both the NFL and college football.
As of August 12, 2026, John is the head coach of the New York Giants, and Jim is the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. That makes them active NFL rivals again, although they now represent different teams from the ones they coached in their famous Super Bowl meeting.
Who are John and Jim Harbaugh?
| John Harbaugh | Jim Harbaugh | |
|---|---|---|
| Family position | Older brother | Younger brother |
| Current team | New York Giants | Los Angeles Chargers |
| Playing background | Defensive back at Miami University | Quarterback at Michigan and in the NFL |
| Most famous championship | Super Bowl XLVII with the Ravens | 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship with Michigan |
| Best-known NFL head-coaching stops | Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants | San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Chargers |
They are sons of Jack and Jackie Harbaugh. Jack was a longtime college coach, including head-coaching positions at Western Michigan and Western Kentucky. Football was therefore not simply a profession the brothers discovered later in life; it was part of their family environment from childhood.
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The Harbaugh family football background
John and Jim grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and attended Pioneer High School. Both were later inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame. John went on to Miami University, where he played defensive back. Jim attended the University of Michigan, where he established himself as a quarterback.
Their father also provided an early coaching connection. John began coaching in 1984 as a graduate assistant under Jack at Western Michigan. That beginning helped establish the path John would follow from college football into the NFL. Jim’s route initially ran through the playing side of the sport: he became a major college quarterback and then spent 15 seasons as a professional player.
John Harbaugh’s coaching career
From college football to the Philadelphia Eagles
John started in college coaching before joining the Philadelphia Eagles in 1998. He first worked as the Eagles’ special-teams coordinator and later coached the secondary. Those roles gave him experience with both the often-overlooked kicking game and defensive backs—two areas that became important parts of his coaching résumé.
The Baltimore Ravens hired John as their head coach in 2008. He remained in that position for 18 seasons, making his tenure one of the longest and most stable head-coaching runs in the modern NFL.
John’s Baltimore record and Super Bowl victory
According to the Giants’ official biography, John went 180–113 in regular-season games with Baltimore and earned 193 total victories when postseason wins are included. During those 18 seasons, he led the Ravens to:
- 12 postseason appearances
- Six AFC North titles
- Four AFC Championship Game appearances
- One Super Bowl championship
That championship was Super Bowl XLVII, played at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The Ravens defeated the 49ers 34–31 in a game that became the defining chapter of the brothers’ rivalry. John’s Ravens controlled the first half and held a substantial lead, while San Francisco mounted a dramatic second-half comeback. Baltimore held on for the three-point victory.
For anyone interested in revisiting the defining game itself, a Super Bowl XLVII game film is a more focused choice than a general Harbaugh biography: the physical release associated with the matchup is the Super Bowl XLVII Champions: 2012 Baltimore Ravens DVD. Availability, seller, and format should be checked before purchase.
John moves from Baltimore to New York
The Ravens and John Harbaugh parted ways on January 6, 2026, ending his 18-season run in Baltimore. The New York Giants appointed him on January 20, 2026, making him the franchise’s 21st head coach. His move gave the NFL another unusual storyline: John and Jim remained opposing head coaches in the same league, but now John represented the Giants rather than the Ravens.
It is important not to describe John as Baltimore’s current coach. As of the dossier’s August 2026 snapshot, his current team is New York, and his Baltimore chapter is part of his past—albeit the longest and most decorated chapter of his career.
Jim Harbaugh’s playing and coaching career
A successful quarterback before coaching
Jim’s football path differed sharply from John’s. He played quarterback at Michigan and went on to a 15-season NFL playing career across five organizations. Michigan’s 2025 media guide records 26,288 professional passing yards and 129 touchdown passes.
His playing experience shaped the public image of Jim’s coaching career. Unlike John, who moved into coaching after playing defensive back, Jim had spent years directing offenses, reading defenses, and operating as the on-field leader of a team.
San Diego, Stanford, and San Francisco
Jim began his head-coaching career at the University of San Diego. He then coached Stanford from 2007 through 2010, where he helped turn the program into a national contender.
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In 2011, Jim became head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. His first season was immediately successful: San Francisco went 13–3, reached the NFC Championship Game, and Jim was named AP NFL Coach of the Year. The 49ers then reached three consecutive NFC Championship Games during his tenure and advanced to Super Bowl XLVII.
That Super Bowl appearance created the first championship-game meeting between John and Jim. Jim’s 49ers ultimately lost to John’s Ravens, but the 49ers’ rapid rise remains one of the most significant achievements of Jim’s NFL coaching career.
Michigan and the 2023 national championship
Jim returned to his alma mater as Michigan’s head coach in 2015. His tenure culminated in the 2023 season, when the Wolverines finished 15–0.
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Michigan won the Big Ten championship, defeated Alabama in the Rose Bowl semifinal, and beat Washington 34–13 in the College Football Playoff National Championship. Michigan’s official 2023 season review describes the title as the program’s first national championship since 1997 and its first outright championship since 1948.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteJim left Michigan for the NFL after that season. The Wolverines’ 2023 national championship is therefore the achievement of his final Michigan season, not a title won during his current Chargers tenure. Fans focused on that part of his career may also encounter Michigan Wolverines 2023 national championship memorabilia; licensed status and product availability vary, so individual listings should be verified.
The return to the NFL with the Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with Jim in January 2024. The team’s official biography emphasizes his earlier success at Stanford and San Francisco, as well as Michigan’s three consecutive Big Ten championships, three straight College Football Playoff appearances, and perfect 15–0 2023 season.
As of August 12, 2026, Jim remains the Chargers’ head coach. He is not Michigan’s current coach; his college career ended when he accepted the Los Angeles job.
When did John and Jim Harbaugh first coach against each other?
The brothers first faced one another as opposing NFL head coaches on Thanksgiving night in 2011. John’s Baltimore Ravens defeated Jim’s San Francisco 49ers 16–6.
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Super Bowl XLVII: John versus Jim
Super Bowl XLVII was played on February 3, 2013. John led Baltimore, and Jim led San Francisco. The Ravens won 34–31, making it the first Super Bowl in which opposing head coaches were brothers.
The matchup was widely given informal labels such as “Har-Bowl” and “Harbaugh Bowl.” Those names capture the novelty of the event, but the enduring facts are more important: two brothers reached the Super Bowl as head coaches, Baltimore won by three points, and John earned the head-to-head championship victory.
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The game also had a compelling competitive shape. Baltimore built a commanding lead, then faced a San Francisco comeback after the Ravens’ momentum and offensive rhythm changed in the second half. The 49ers moved close enough to make the finish uncertain, but the Ravens’ defense held on.
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John’s victory gives him the clearest result in a direct comparison between the brothers: he won the only Super Bowl in which they opposed one another. That does not settle every broader debate about their careers. Jim’s résumé includes three straight NFC Championship Game appearances with San Francisco and Michigan’s undefeated 2023 national championship season, while John’s résumé is defined by sustained NFL success and a Super Bowl title.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How should their careers be compared?
A simple “who is better?” answer misses the fact that they have excelled in different settings.
| Category | John Harbaugh | Jim Harbaugh |
|---|---|---|
| Primary coaching identity | Long-term NFL program builder | Coach with major success in college and the NFL |
| NFL championship | Won Super Bowl XLVII with Baltimore | Reached Super Bowl XLVII with San Francisco |
| College championship | No comparable college title listed in this résumé | Won the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship with Michigan |
| Long-term NFL achievement | 18 seasons and 193 total Ravens wins | Three consecutive NFC Championship Game appearances with the 49ers |
| Current challenge | Building the Giants after leaving Baltimore | Continuing his NFL return with the Chargers |
John is most strongly associated with organizational continuity. His Baltimore tenure lasted nearly two decades and produced repeated playoff appearances, division titles, and a championship. Jim is associated with rapid transformations and high points across different levels of football: Stanford, San Francisco, Michigan, and now Los Angeles.
Descriptions such as “intense,” “competitive,” or “program-building” are broad public characterizations, not scientific measurements of their personalities or coaching methods. The documented results provide a firmer basis for comparison than speculation about their private relationship or personal styles.
Where are the Harbaugh brothers now?
John Harbaugh is now with the New York Giants. His appointment followed the end of his Baltimore tenure in January 2026. Jim Harbaugh is with the Los Angeles Chargers, whom he joined in January 2024 after leaving Michigan.
The brothers therefore remain connected by the NFL while pursuing separate challenges. John is beginning a new professional chapter with the Giants after 18 seasons in one organization. Jim is attempting to translate the methods that worked at Michigan and earlier NFL stops into continued success with the Chargers.
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The current arrangement preserves the unusual possibility of another John-versus-Jim NFL meeting, although whether and when the Giants and Chargers play each other depends on the league schedule. Their next matchup, if it occurs, would not erase the significance of 2013: John’s Ravens remain the winners of the historic brother-versus-brother Super Bowl.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Harbaugh brother is older?
John Harbaugh is the older brother, and Jim Harbaugh is the younger brother.
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Who won the Harbaugh brothers’ Super Bowl?
John’s Baltimore Ravens defeated Jim’s San Francisco 49ers 34–31 in Super Bowl XLVII on February 3, 2013.
What teams do John and Jim Harbaugh coach now?
As of August 12, 2026, John Harbaugh coaches the New York Giants and Jim Harbaugh coaches the Los Angeles Chargers.
Did both Harbaugh brothers play in the NFL?
John was a defensive back at Miami University. Jim was a quarterback at Michigan and played 15 seasons in the NFL.
What championships have the Harbaugh brothers won as coaches?
Jim Harbaugh led Michigan to a perfect 15–0 season and the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship, while John Harbaugh won Super Bowl XLVII with Baltimore.
The Bottom Line
John and Jim Harbaugh are the only brothers to face one another as opposing NFL head coaches in a Super Bowl. John won that meeting with Baltimore in Super Bowl XLVII and built an 18-season Ravens career; Jim later won Michigan’s 2023 national championship and returned to the NFL with the Chargers. As of August 2026, John coaches the Giants and Jim coaches the Chargers, giving the NFL another chapter in one of football’s most unusual family stories.
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