Who’s older, Jim or John Harbaugh? Detailed look at each NFL head coach’s career so far

On Monday Night Football, brothers Jim and John Harbaugh will face off for the third time as NFL coaches when the Los Angeles Chargers host the Baltimore Ravens at SoFi Stadium.

The brothers' last duel was in Super Bowl 47, where John's Ravens beat Jim's San Francisco 49ers 34-31. The game, dubbed "The Harbaugh Bowl," was the first time two siblings battled as head coaches in the Super Bowl. This will be the third meeting between the duo and Jim is yet to get the better of his brother.

There's often some confusion about which of the two brothers is older. Many believe that Jim, who played in the NFL as a quarterback for 14 seasons from 1987 to 2001, is the elder sibling. However, that isn't the case.

John was born on September 23rd, 1962, while Jim's birth date is December 23rd, 1963. The misconception stems from the latter entering the league 11 years before his brother did.

John Harbaugh's coaching career explored

John Harbaugh - Source: Imagn

John Harbaugh played varsity football at Miami University before pivoting to coaching in 1984 after graduating. He spent three years at Western Michigan as the running backs and outside linebackers coach. He then spent a year each at the University of Pittsburgh's tight end coach and Morehead State's special teams and second coach.

He took over as the University of Cincinnati's special teams coordinator in 1989 and remained with the program until 1996. John spent his final year in college football at Indiana University, serving as their special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach.

He entered the NFL in 1998 as the Philadelphia Eagles' special teams coordinator. He spent ten seasons with the franchise before the Baltimore Ravens came calling, where he took over as the head coach in 2008. John is the longest-tenured head coach in the league behind Mike Tomlin, who was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007.

Jim Harbaugh's coaching career explored

Jim Harbaugh - Source: Imagn

Unlike his brother, who spent 14 years in college football, Jim's first real coaching job was with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he served as the quarterbacks coach for two years starting in 2002. However, he was also Western Kentucky University's offensive consultant from 1994 to 2001. Many believed he'd take over as the program's head coach after retiring from playing, but he stayed in the NFL.

Jim did pivot to college football after his two-year stint with the Raiders, accepting the University of San Diego's offer to become their head coach. In 2007, Stanford University wanted him to fill their head coach vacancy and he accepted. In 2010, he led the program to a 12-1 record and won the Woody Hayes Coach of the Year award.

Jim's stellar season with Stanford prompted the 49ers to hire him as their head coach in 2011. In his first three seasons, he led them to two NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl appearance. His fourth year with the team was disappointing, as they finished 8-8.

Jim returned to college football in 2015 after his alma mater, the University of Michigan, asked him to take over as their head coach. He spent 10 seasons with the program and led them to the National Championship in 2024. Having achieved his goal, Jim felt the time was right to return to the NFL. He interviewed for multiple head coach openings in the offseason before picking the Chargers.

Jim is hoping to become the fourth head coach after Barry Switzer, Jimmy Johnson, and Pete Carroll to win the National Championship and the Super Bowl. He could have already been on that list had his older brother not beaten him and the 49ers in Super Bowl 47.