The AFC has finally exorcised the demon that is the Kansas City Chiefs, and their elimination from this year’s postseason is beginning to quite literally pay dividends for their rival coaches. The Los Angeles Chargers became the heroes of the National Football League after their narrow 16-13 victory in Week 15 marked the end of the Chiefs’ decade-long playoff appearance streak, sparking celebrations across the nation.
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Although, the Chargers’ head coach, Jim Harbaugh, has about one million more reasons to celebrate than the next guy. In exchange for clinching a playoff spot in 2024, Harbaugh was given a $1-million contract bonus, and now that they’ve managed to accomplish the same for a second year in a row, he figures to be receiving yet another bonus here shortly.
Given the fact that Los Angeles has compiled an overall regular season record of 22-10 since Harbaugh first returned to the pros with them, it’s safe to say that their money has been well spent. According to ProFootballTalk, Harbaugh’s original deal will see him earn $16 million a year and will be good for five years.
That could mean an $80-million pledge for the Chargers if everything is fully guaranteed, and while that may sound like a lot of cash, it’s only enough to make Harbaugh the third highest-paid head coach in the NFL. The front man of the aforementioned Chiefs, Andy Reid, is still leading the way with a $20-million salary, while Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos ranks just ahead of Harbaugh with a yearly income of $18 million.
Netting yourself an extra $2 million surely feels good, but it’s unlikely that Harbaugh is willing to rest on his laurels for very long. After securing his first playoff berth since he was with the San Francisco 49ers back in 2013, his squad was promptly bounced from the first round by C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans.
Now, here we are in the midst of Week 17, and that same Houston team has just ended the Chargers’ four-game win streak. So while most would be going home to count their newfound stack, Harbaugh will likely be going straight to the film room to begin preparing for a potential postseason rematch with this emerging rival of his.
It’s also worth mentioning that Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, and even Lamar Jackson, are all primed to be absent from this year’s postseason. That would leave Harbaugh with one of the best remaining quarterbacks in the playoffs, and a potential to earn even more bonuses for himself.
Of course, as with everything else in the NFL, that’ll be easier said than done, but for now, it’s good to know that the Chargers are willing to spend what it takes to potentially find their first AFC Championship appearance since 2007.
