Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh was absent at the start of the game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, which ended in a 23-16 victory for the Chargers. Just before kickoff at Empower Field in Denver, Harbaugh was seen entering the team’s medical tent for evaluation and later walked back to the locker room, missing the game’s beginning.
Shortly after, the Chargers announced that Harbaugh was dealing with an illness and was questionable to return. In his absence, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter took over as interim head coach.
Harbaugh’s brother, John Harbaugh, who coaches the Baltimore Ravens, concluded his press conference abruptly upon hearing about Jim’s situation. He left to check on his brother after the Ravens’ win over the Washington Commanders.
Midway through the first quarter, Harbaugh returned to the sidelines just in time to see quarterback Justin Herbert throw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Kimani Vidal, putting the Chargers ahead 10-0.
In a post-game interview with CBS, Harbaugh revealed he had experienced atrial flutter, a type of arrhythmia that causes an irregular heartbeat. He mentioned that he has dealt with this condition on and off for some time. After experiencing an episode during the game, doctors were able to restore his heart rhythm.
“I got into an episode today with it,” Harbaugh said. “Doctors checked me out, and it got back into sinus rhythm, normal rhythm, so I came back.” He plans to have a follow-up appointment with doctors on Monday to assess his condition further.
This season marks Harbaugh’s first with the Chargers after a successful nine-year tenure at Michigan, where he won a national championship. He previously coached the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014 and noted that he had experienced a similar arrhythmia during a Monday Night Football game with them.
“I’m 2-0 with arrhythmias,” he joked after the game.
Despite the early scare, the Chargers maintained control throughout the match. They scored 23 unanswered points before the Broncos managed to respond. Justin Herbert completed 21 of 34 passes for 237 yards and one touchdown. Running back J.K. Dobbins contributed significantly as well, rushing for 96 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Chargers and improved their record to 3-2 this season.
On the other side, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix threw for 216 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Both touchdown passes came in the fourth quarter, including one caught by Courtland Sutton on an impressive one-handed grab in the end zone. The Broncos now hold a record of 3-3 after entering Sunday’s game with three consecutive wins.
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