Jim Harbaugh delivers perfect, candid response showing he’s not intimidated as Chargers gear up to face Chiefs in Brazil
Chargers head coach is ready for the challenge.
SÃO PAULO — The Los Angeles Chargers respect the Kansas City Chiefs, but they don’t fear them. Playing the second game of the season, and the second NFL game ever in Brazil, head coach Jim Harbaugh is ready for the challenge and doesn’t want to take the confidence away from his players.
The game has all the ingredients for a special night. A standalone, divisional matchup, two respected head coaches in Harbaugh and Andy Reid, and two elite quarterbacks in Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes.
“To be in this game, the second game of the NFL season, Friday night game, big stage. There’s an honor in being selected to play in this game, and that really overshoots any home game aspect of it,” Harbaugh said in a press conference in Brazil. “At its core, this is a big game for us. This is huge. You want to start off your season on the right foot, and that’s what we’ve prepared ourselves for. We’ve been working very, very hard for this game, and we’re ready to have that pay off with a great performance on Friday night.”
Emotions to be in Brazil
Jim Harbaugh talked about his connection with South America. He had visited Peru, and now is part of a large plan to expand the NFL brand in Brazil.
“First, I’d like to just say how excited we are to be here. The hospitality has been amazing. We just got here this morning, but already at the airport and everywhere we’ve gone, we’ve been made to feel welcome. That motivates us even on top of the game, which is so big,” Harbaugh added. “The opener for us and our season, playing the Kansas City Chiefs, who we have an immense amount of respect for. I respect our guys too.”
The NFL officially announced that the Chargers would face the Chiefs in Week 1 back in May. Harbaugh took advantage of those four months to make a more deep preparation to face the AFC West rival, a team that the Chargers haven’t beaten since 2021, with seven straight losses.
“You pretty much start right away. I mean, when you find out who your opener is going to be,” Harbaugh explained. “Same thing the Chiefs do. You know, we do the same thing, which affords you that extra time and focus on your opener.”
While there are inevitable logistics challenges to play in Brazil, the Chargers will have more than enough time going back home. Los Angeles only plays on the Monday Night Football of Week 2, ten days after the opener in São Paulo. The Chargers will return to the United States over the weekend, putting them in position to have a normal week of preparation ahead of the second game, against the Las Vegas Raiders.
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