For anyone still paying attention, things aren't going well for the Chicago Bears. Since taking over the ranks last season, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus has led the struggling Bears to a 3-17 record and an ugly 13-game losing streak. This is officially rock bottom.
If the Bears want to win, they should hire Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh to be the franchise's next coach.
Harbaugh brings a wave of coaching experience to the table. Time and time again, Harbaugh's proven he can rebuild a team and create a winning culture. If the Bears fire Eberflus, they should request an interview with him right away.
After becoming the Oakland Raiders quarterbacks coach, Harbaugh received his first head coaching gig with the University of San Diego. Harbaugh never had a losing season during his three-year tenure there.
His coaching talents caught the attention of Stanford and Harbaugh was hired to build a winning program. While it took Harbaugh a few losing seasons to build the team's program and culture, it was well worth the wait.
During Harbaugh's four-year run at Stanford, he flipped the team's fortunes and turned them into a Pac-12 powerhouse. He also played a crucial role in Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck's development. Luck was considered one of the best quarterback draft prospects of all time heading into the 2012 NFL Draft.
After the fact, the San Francisco 49ers hired Harbaugh as their head coach in 2011. He had his work cut out for him, joining a team in the middle of an eight-year playoff drought.
Spoiler alert: the 49ers struck gold when they hired Harbaugh. The 49ers went to three straight NFC Championship Games with Harbaugh and went from perennial losers to contenders. During the 2012 season, the 49ers peaked with Harbaugh, going to their first Super Bowl since 1994. Unfortunately, the 49ers lost 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens in heartbreaking fashion against John Harbaugh, his brother. It was the first Super Bowl between two head coaches who were also brothers.
After a disappointing 8-8 season in 2014, Harbaugh left the 49ers and went back to college to become the head coach at Michigan, his alma mater.
Since leaving the NFL behind, Harbaugh's turned Michigan into a Big-10 powerhouse. Despite a 1-6 Bowl record, Harbaugh's Wolverines went to back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
Similar to what he accomplished in San Fran, Harbaugh can quickly turn the Bears into a playoff team. His habit of running the ball and building a hard-hitting defense will make him a fan favorite in Chicago.
A former Bear, Harbaugh was Mike Dikta's handpicked quarterback, drafting the Michigan product in the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft.
The 1986 Heisman Finalist spent the first seven years of his NFL career with the Bears and improved each year, leading the team to two playoff trips in 1990 and 1991, despite missing the 1990 playoffs because of a shoulder injury. Eventually, he left the Bears and continued his playing career with the Indianapolis Colts.
You can't miss Harbaugh in the Bears' record books. He's ranked in the top 10 for completions, passing yards, and touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference.
His ties to the Bears make him an intriguing option. He was around during one of the Bears most successful eras and he knows what it's like to win in a Bears uniform.
One hurdle the Bears would have to jump to hire Harbaugh is paying him. He's set to make $7.05 million this year at Michigan, per Sportsnaut. That's way more than what most NFL coaches make. Are the Bears willing to make Harbaugh an offer he can't refuse? Let's hope so.