Former Michigan football QB Jim Harbaugh labeled as one of the NFL's 'biggest jerks'
Former Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh, now the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, was labeled as one of the NFL's "biggest jerks."
AP Photo
And he's apparently made very few friends in the process.
CBSsports.com NFL writer Mike Freeman unveiled his list of the league's "10 biggest jerks" on Monday, and Harbaugh -- the current San Francisco 49ers coach -- came in a tie for No. 10 with current Detroit Lions boss Jim Schwartz.
"Harbaugh is arrogant and just as sideline-angered as Schwartz, and his story about how the 49ers didn't really pursue Peyton Manning is actually hilarious," Freeman wrote. "That's like saying you look at Rihanna and appreciate her eyes."
A former All-American quarterback at Michigan, and 1986 Big Ten Player of the Year, Harbaugh -- who also spent a portion of his high school career at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School -- finished his Wolverine career with 5,449 passing yards and 31 touchdowns.
Harbaugh's name consistently surfaced in January of 2011 as a leading candidate for the Michigan football coaching job.
The former Wolverine eventually left Stanford for the 49ers on Jan. 7.
Four days later, Michigan introduced Brady Hoke as its new head coach.
Nick Baumgardner covers Michigan sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2514, by email at nickbaumgardner@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.
Comments
BillMK
Wed, Jun 27, 2012 : 3:28 a.m.
Harbaugh doesn't really seem to be a bad guy, but he has an awfully big mouth. I don't think he would have been nearly as good a fit as Hoke, nor would he be as likely to stick around. I suspect he is done with college coaching. In any case I wish him well; and I'm glad we got Brady Hoke!
aarox
Tue, Jun 26, 2012 : 2:27 a.m.
Freeman is missing the point. His arrogance is what makes him a Michigan Man, and a great candidate to be our next head coach. If you don't believe me, read the posts around here. Go Blue!
1998pa
Tue, Jun 26, 2012 : midnight
So much misconception here. First, Harbaugh spoke fact about academics in Michigan -- it's easier for athletes than at places like Stanford and Northwestern. It doesn't mean it's an awful school or that you shouldn't be a fan. But accept fact as fact and move on. Second, it wasn't about Harbaugh vs. Hoke. It was Harbaugh vs. Rodriguez. Hoke was barely an afterthought for most fans. All that said, Hoke has done a solid job FOR ONE YEAR. Are you seriously ready to declare him the greatest coach in Michigan history? For me, it makes more sense to give someone a chance to prove who/what they are before I allow my desires to trump reality.
Maisy66
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 10:53 p.m.
I'd say Freeman and Baumgardner have nominated themselves for even higher spots on the list for publishing this rubbish....
xmo
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 10:33 p.m.
What did you expect, he is from U of M?
A2newbie
Tue, Jun 26, 2012 : 12:26 a.m.
:) Glad someone beat me to it!
azwolverine
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 11 p.m.
And I will ask you the exact same question when he wins a Super Bowl.
D21
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 9:34 p.m.
Well, this so called sportswriter should have saved his Top 50 for the entire Aints (New Orleans Saints) organization for their criminal bounty caper. GO BLUE! BEAT LITTLE BROTHERS & URBY BLIGHT
umgoblue47
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 7:45 p.m.
no dis-respect to JH. . .but we not only got the right guy, we got the better guy!! HOKE is MICHIGAN. . . GO BLUE!!!!!!
heartbreakM
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 11:44 p.m.
I think both would have done great here. Hoke is more level headed while JH is certainly excitable but he would have oozed Maize and Blue--you can tell that when you hear him talk about michigan (academics notwithstanding). You would have to think based on past that Harbaugh would have still had his eye on the NFL, but I can't say for sure whether--JH or BH would be better. One thing is for certain---both are WAY WAY better than what was replaced. And I'm thrilled with everything that Brady Hoke has done so far.
azwolverine
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 11:02 p.m.
I like Harbaugh, but I've got to agree with you.
azwolverine
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 7:35 p.m.
As a Pioneer (and UM) grad, I think it's pretty cool to have two Pi Hi guys (John actually graduated from Pioneer) as HC's in the NFL. And while I don't know either of them personally as they are both before my time, I'd have to say they are both doing very well in their respective jobs.
Orangecrush2000
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 7:25 p.m.
no blame for Harbaugh from me. I think that he would be successful, no matter where he went. People who get mad at him are people, in my opinion, who have something to lose if Harbaugh has his way. But, I'm also happy with Hoke. So, not worried about it one way or another. Would like to see both coaches win.
jmac
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 7:12 p.m.
Michigan made the right choice with Hoke. Don't know how things would have turned out with Harbaugh but so far so good with Hoke.
azwolverine
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 7:22 p.m.
My guess is, Michigan would have won just like they're doing with Hoke. The difference is, Harbaugh would have eventually left for the NFL whereas Hoke won't. This is Hoke's destination job...not Harbaugh's.
81wolverine
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 7:04 p.m.
I don't know about him being a "jerk", but he certainly has always had a big mouth. A good example is when he threw his alma mater under the bus while spouting off about academics in college football before he ever actually coached a game at Stanford. That certainly would indicate some arrogance to me. Whether that affected his candidacy for the head coaching job at Michigan, we'll probably never know.
A2comments
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 9:14 p.m.
His comments about academics in college football were pretty right on.
azwolverine
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 7:26 p.m.
I wonder where he learned how to win at such a high level???
Goober
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 7:08 p.m.
I wonder where he learned how to be arrogant?
michboy40
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 6:43 p.m.
I wonder what this list would look like if they asked just the other head coaches.
Terry Star21
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 6:15 p.m.
He wasn't good enough for Dave Brandon to offer a contract to thankfully, he lost out on Michigan and Michigan made out big time on Brady Hoke - a crystal win ! MgoBlueForTiM....and Big Time Brady Hoke.
Lifetime AA ND Fan
Tue, Jun 26, 2012 : 6:34 a.m.
Holy cow, talk about revisionist history... don't let your kool-aid drinking get in the way of the facts. But I do agree with the part that Michigan did well with Hoke.
jcj
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 5:52 p.m.
He is a great coach. But that does not mean he is not a jerk. (I think he is )But the 49rs hired him to coach not do PR.
heartbreakM
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 5:40 p.m.
Don't know him--only what I see on the TV, though he was QB when I started at Michigan. My take on him is that he angers a lot of people on other teams, but his teams love him. Those Stanford guys sure seemed to. Sort of like Laimbeer was.
Wally the Wolverine
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 4:58 p.m.
What a bogus article. Since when did coaching in the NFL become a popularity contest? As long as my head coach is putting up W's on the board, he can be Atilla the Hun for all I care. You can tell we're in the dog days of Summer when we start getting battered with articles that lack substance.
Madeleine Borthwick
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 8:03 p.m.
who let the dogs out? hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo?
DennisP
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 4:55 p.m.
He's hired to get the 49ers to the Super Bowl, not to make friends and get invitations to sports writers' parties. While I hope the Lions beat the 49ers every time they play, I remain impressed with the way Harbaugh got his team to perform last year. Obviously, he knows what he's doing. I think the Lions and 49ers are going to be a pairing to watch for a while. The person who blew it was Bill Martin. Harbaugh was all but begging to be the UM coach but Martin went after Rodriquez. Wouldn't give him a moment's consideration because Harbaugh told it like it is about football "academic programs" especially at Michigan. Lloyd got bent out of shape by that and applied some sort of veto he never should have had. Thank goodness we now have Brady. Things worked out better in the long run.
Goober
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 6:37 p.m.
Yes - defend this UofM man no matter how he acts, no matter how he treats others and no mattter what he says. I can attest that you can be head of a tough situation, make tough decisions, but not make everyone mad and upset. Evidentially, this is not the case with this UofM man.
Matt Cooper
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 5:59 p.m.
Yes, and if getting the Niners to the Super Bowl includes being a loud-mouthed, unsportsman-like, no class overblown jerk as part of the job description, he's got the job all wrapped up. Also, no, he didn't "tell it like it is" about anything. He ran his mouth in an effort to embarrass the entire Michigan football program. As for Lloyd, he was about as classy a coach as has ever worked here, and loved his M family. He had every right to voice his opinion re: who replaced him (hint: most coaches to offer input as to their replacement). JH would have been a horrible coach here. I thank God we didn't end up with this classless oaf.
golfer
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 4:38 p.m.
lets say this. he is a different person. what you see is what you get24-7.
RWBill
Wed, Jun 27, 2012 : 12:51 p.m.
And that's not a bad thing.
J
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 4:34 p.m.
I was at a football camp for the Lions years ago when he was trying out for the team and I will say he was not the "JERK" then that you make him to be now. He stuck around a good 30-40 min after all the other players had went to the locker room and signed as many autographs as anyone wanted. There were other players that ran right by everyone ignoring every plea but he stayed until everyone was satisfied.
Doug
Tue, Jun 26, 2012 : 8:02 p.m.
He wasn't a jerk then, but he is now!
Goober
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 4:18 p.m.
This can't be! He's a UofM man!
7718
Wed, Jun 27, 2012 : 9:10 p.m.
A Michigan Man. I wonder if he would have been considered a top ten jerk if he took the Michigan job?
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 7:03 p.m.
did he get excommunicated?
Terry Star21
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 6:11 p.m.
He is not......
Macabre Sunset
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 4:08 p.m.
Remember that CBS hires writers to stir the proverbial pot. Seems rather naive to repeat a column without putting it into context.
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Jun 25, 2012 : 4:02 p.m.
Tied with Schwartz. At least Schwartz is my jerk. In which case he isn't a jerk, he's "misunderstood". Harbaugh on the other hand......