Jim Harbaugh keeps it real regarding how he truly feels about Las Vegas Raiders HC Pete Carroll ahead of their MNF matchup
Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll go way back – before their jobs as head coach of the Chargers and Raiders.
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll and Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh have a rivalry of their own that goes back further than the one they’re about to have in the AFC West division. The two have been trying to beat one another for quite some time now.
While they have had some awkward moments against each other, such as the handshake during the USC-Stanford game years ago, Harbaugh is not afraid to tell it how it is, or how it would be, I should say.
“He’s a great coach, one of the best,” Harbaugh told reporters on Wednesday. “A lot of respect. I always thought if I had ever played for him or on one of his teams—because he was coaching when I was playing—or was on his staff once I got into coaching, I bet we would have been really good friends. I learned a lot from him just by watching him.
“But he’s just always been on the other side. As a player, he was a defensive coordinator or head coach somewhere. Then, when I was coaching, we were trying to gouge each other’s eyes out in the competitive spirit of that. It’s competition at the highest level, and that’s what he’s all about. Pretty enthusiastic, too, I’ve noticed. Nothing but respect for that. Same person, same coach every day.”
Those two, friends? That seems hard to believe. But it does make sense.
Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh have similar coaching philosophies and styles
When you think about the two coaches and what they stand for and believe in, they are so similar. Both are player-coaches, but have the style where they’re not going to yell at you or be too hard on you, get in your face, etc. They’re gentle, but also serious about their craft. They’re extremely likable, both have an exuberant amount of energy when it comes to practice, and both are winners.
All four head coaches in the AFC West, whether that’s those two, Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs, or Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos, could all end up in the Hall of Fame. Carroll and Harbaugh have both won college National Championships, with Harbaugh winning one a few years ago for the Michigan Wolverines, and Carroll winning with USC. And they have both coached in the Super Bowl, where Harbaugh lost, and Carroll won one and lost one.
Both are so much alike, and both have their own style that has worked. But, only one of them can win on Monday Night Football in Week 2. With both teams being 1-0 to start the season, one of these guys will start Week 3 with a loss, and to make things even juicier, they’re tied at 6-6 against one another in their careers.
This is going to be fun.
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