Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh had a damning quote about his team in the aftermath of the 0-5 start to the season.
Just a day later, Harbaugh had another notable quote: And it sort of feels like there is a hidden message in there somewhere.
Speaking with reporters to start the week, Harbaugh responded interestingly to questions about whether he’s feeling any pressure from the overarching organization right now.
"John Spanos, Dean Spanos, Susie Spanos, the whole Spanos family. It's shoulder to shoulder where we're in this fight together," Harbaugh said, according to ESPN’s Anthony Gharib.
It’s a great question, before anything else.
But the answer sure seems interesting, too.
Jim Harbaugh’s quote hints at Chargers pressure
Here’s the thing about the latest coach-speakism from Harbaugh: It probably means Harbaugh’s had a chat or two with those above him about how this Chargers season has gone off the rails.
And it probably means the seat is heating up.
Don’t just duh this one away. Harbaugh probably talks to Chargers brass semi-often, if not weekly. But the fact he’s publicly bringing them up after an 0-5 start feels like a pretty big deal.
Harbaugh is also known to lie. He’s fallen under fire for the “greatest quarterback of all time” stuff with Justin Herbert. His “in this fight together” with Chargers ownership is probably just as big of a stretch. Ownership isn’t leaving. The coaching staff could be.
The cold reality of the NFL in a situation like this is pretty straightforward: The rest of this season is about self-preservation. There are jobs at stake at all levels and future health to consider, too. And the front office, if not ownership, will now likely keep a closer eye on the NFL draft order than they do the playoff standings charts.
If the Chargers lose in Kansas City in Week 6 and hit the bye at 0-6, it’s pretty safe to assume that one or two folks will be fired during the break. There’s simply no excuse, even after another big bite from the injury bug, for a football team to look as unprepared and lost as the Chargers have for five weeks.
Harbaugh might be safe through the rest of the season, sure. But his quote here is going to look like sour milk pretty quickly by December because very few things outside of a full-blown reset can salvage a team that has fallen this far off the track in Year 3, which is supposed to be the height of the rebuild and climb up into serious contention.
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