Jim Harbaugh Leaves Stanford for 49ers

by Scott Allen on Jan 7, 2026 7:55 PM PST

Say it ain't so.

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Slow news day, huh?

As Jim Harbaugh said when asked what he's learned during the past week, if it's on the Internet it's true. This time, the truth hurts. To borrow a phrase from Steve Rushin, Harbaugh is taking his talents to North Beach after signing a five-year contract to become head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

Harbaugh was introduced during a press conference this afternoon and admitted that it was "with a little bit of a heavy heart" that he decided to leave Stanford. Ultimately, the opportunity to make the jump to the NFL and follow in the footsteps of the late Bill Walsh was too good to pass up.

"I view it as the perfect opportunity, the perfect competitive platform, with the level playing field, a chance to be part of a team that goes after the highest award in all of sports, the Lombardi Trophy," Harbaugh said.

With Harbaugh gone, the attention turns to finding a replacement to lead the Stanford program he rebuilt over the past four years, a Stanford program that returns Heisman runner-up Andrew Luck. According to senior wide receiver Doug Baldwin, the players are lobbying for the Cardinal's offensive coordinator and Stanford graduate David Shaw.

Other potential candidates could include Stanford associate head coach Greg Roman, Boise State head coach Chris Petersen, and former Oregon coach Mike Bellotti. It's unclear whether Harbaugh will take any of his assistants, including defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, with him. What is clear is that the position he vacated is much more attractive than it was when he was hired by Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby in 2006.

"Jim Harbaugh has done an outstanding job of advancing the football program at Stanford University and I am grateful for all of his tremendous work," Bowlsby said. "Coach Harbaugh has led the program with integrity, vision, enthusiasm and energy and his teams have played with precision and exceptional passion."

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Sad to see him go...

But he leaves a real legacy at Stanford. We went 1-11 my senior year. I had a college experience tainted by Buddy Teevens and Walt Harris. Harbaugh changed a culture that I was skeptical could be changed.

While I understand why the players may be pulling for Shaw, I think we need a bit more of a name to keep the momentum up. I’m leaning towards Chris Petersen, which I think would be a mutually beneficial relationship. Petersen will get a chance to prove himself in the new Pac-12 while Stanford would get a top-notch coach to go along with their top-notch QB. Seems like Petersen has done a nice job with Kellen Moore and I would love to see what he could do with Luck.

The bottom line is that I trust Bowlsby to make this decision. He has been pretty amazing in finding under-the-radar coaching talent. Odds are he’ll pick someone totally out of the blue and it will work out. Crazy few days for the Card.

by GeneralGametime on Jan 7, 2026 8:42 PM PST reply actions

I was talking to a buddy of mine who mentioned the name of Brian Billick........

He who was an assistant under Coach Green.

That would be a good hire IMO……if he was interested.

And of course I would most definitely be on board with the General’s choice as well.

All I know is with Luck coming back………that makes the job all the more appealing.

The score dictated they pass

by norcaliangelsfan on Jan 7, 2026 10:10 PM PST reply actions

Bellotti and the other retreads would be weak choices (see Dave Wannstedt at Pitt)

As much as I want to think that hiring an “under the radar success” type like Peterson would be a way for Stanford to stay competitive, a lot of what made Harbaugh’s tenure here so successful was dramatically improved recruiting. The goal should be to find someone with a lot of experience in that area in addition to solid experience as an assistant or head coach. Billick is about as uncharismatic as they come and would be a pretty disastrous hire IMO.

"We don't want our people to be preoccupied with seminude, crazy men jumping up and down who are chasing an inflated object," said Sheik Mohamed Osman Arus, head of operations for the Hizbul Islam insurgent group.

by PaulThomas on Jan 7, 2026 10:26 PM PST reply actions

Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley

is a hell of a good man that might fit the bill. He is in on both the Pitt and Connecticut jobs. A power struggle of sorts between the chancellor and the athletic director appears to be the only reason he hasn’t been hired by the Panthers.

Bradley played for the Nittany Lions and has been on the coaching staff for 30 years. What you see on the defensive side of the ball from Penn State is all Bradley. He is an outstanding recruiter with experience in bringing top athletes into an environment where academics matter. He owns Western PA — not insignificant since the Cardinal are recruiting nationally.

"Never mistake motion for action." - Ernest Hemingway

by SubLime on Jan 8, 2026 8:13 AM PST up reply actions

Fingers crossed for Petersen, who would be perfect for the job

As far as Harbaugh goes, this sucks, but I think it’s fair to say that Stanford knew this was the guy they were getting when they hired him. I don’t think he ever made any bones about his desire to compete at the highest level someday. If you’d told Bowlsby when he made the hire that Harbaugh would turn the program around, stay for four years, then bolt for the NFL, there’s no way he doesn’t take that deal every time. I’m actually quite glad Harbaugh’s departure happened the way it did. This way, in the long term, he can still be a part of the Stanford football extended family… and who knows? Maybe he comes back to the Farm in an official capacity someday. Unlike when the last successful Stanford football coach left, no bridges have been burned, so far as I can tell.

Idolizing Robb Nen since 2002...

by Smoke on the Water on Jan 8, 2026 12:34 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

Exactly

Everyone who has followed Stanford football through the dark ages to now knew that Harbaugh eventually would make the jump. It was just a matter of when. Hearing that Luck was staying perhaps gave us false hope, but no one is going to spit on coach Harbaugh whenever they see him now, unlike Michigan fans who are eerily apoplectic right now. He said he feels like he’s part of two universities now (Stanford and UM) and I don’t think anyone will argue him on that. Like you said, he could possibly help Bowlsby on his search much in the same way Walsh helped Stanford behind the scenes to hire Harbaugh. He’ll always be welcome on campus, and lord knows the students adore him.

As far as who to go after, while I’m not opposed to Shaw or Roman, I agree that a big name will probably be needed, especially given the attendance issues. Peterson, while I’m not keen on his ability to recruit given our academics in comparison to Boise, is a person I’ve gradually come around to seeing as a maybe fit, with the caveat that he’s not like the last Boise coach who went on to coach a BCS conference team (Dan Hawkins). Belloti and the Pirate are the names du jour, so I don’t think anyone would be surprised if they’re mentioned (or hired).

Of course, we could send the UM fans into fits of rage and just go after Brady Hoke of SDSU.

by RedOscar on Jan 8, 2026 9:02 AM PST via mobile up reply actions

Bowlsby isn't surprised

I heard him say two years ago that Harbaugh’s agent wrote in the world’s most jump-friendly language into the contract…Chris Petersen actually may be a better long-term fit for Stanford than Harbaugh was, strange as that may seem given Jim’s results, as he’s never been in the NFL or shown any interest in it. He’s got his start through Jim Sochor at UC Davis, who was the world’s most gentlemanly coach as well as a hugely successful one.
I’ve also read that Petersen has a son who needs medical treatment on a frequent basis, so Palo Alto would be a great place for him.

by vk on Jan 8, 2026 9:16 AM PST reply actions

Petersen just seems like such a class act

Much as we all love Harbaugh’s almost rabid intensity (I know I did at least) in some ways he didn’t fit in with the university’s overall atmosphere. That said, maybe that’s why he was exactly what was needed to resurrect the program… but now that it has been resurrected, Petersen seems like the right guy to keep it going.

That said, if we couldn’t get him, I would be perfectly content with Shaw or Roman. Of the two, I think I would prefer Shaw, but it’s hard to really know for sure because it’s kind of murky who made which contributions to the offense.

Idolizing Robb Nen since 2002...

by Smoke on the Water on Jan 8, 2026 5:05 PM PST up reply actions

Coach Harbaugh leaves

Thanks for allowing me to come in here. Even though I am an old Red Raider, I have always pulled for Stanford, and for Coach Harbaugh.

I hope Coach Leach gets a serious shot at becoming your next Head Coach. With Luck coming back, and the way the Pirate can coach quarterbacks, Stanford would have a real chance at the BCS Championship IMO. Good luck to all of you at Stanford, regardless of who your next HC may be!

Wreck em Tech!

by Red and Black 71 on Jan 8, 2026 10:14 AM PST reply actions

I like the status quo

Would be great to see Shaw, Roman and Fangio stay; but he’ll probably take someone with him.

by Gus Zernial on Jan 8, 2026 12:57 PM PST reply actions

Whoever ends up replacing JH needs to be a great recruiter, first and foremost. Jim set a new standard of the type of recruits that will come to Stanford. The new guy must build on that, or its back to being a mediocre program.

by JR5 on Jan 8, 2026 5:45 PM PST reply actions

The most successful Stanford coaches

embrace the kind of student athlete that the school attracts and run systems that take advantage of their strengths: intelligence and discipline.

For example, Harbaugh understood that he could run an unusually complex offense built on great line play and smart quarterbacking. If intelligence tests are any indication, those positions are where the brainiest players play. And the defense was built on execution and discipline, not superior speed.

Mike Montgomery also ran a multitude of sets that didn’t require elite athleticism to succeed (although it didn’t hurt when present [see Knight, Brevin]).

If I recall, Walt Harris bitched about not being able to get the kind of athletes he needed to win into the school. Trent Johnson, same thing.

So if they hire someone from outside, I just hope it’s someone who takes that approach.

by Cardinal&Orange; on Jan 8, 2026 10:24 PM PST reply actions

Amen to this...

… by its very nature Stanford draws a different kind of athlete. The successful coaches learn to treat this as a feature rather than a problem. Harbaugh, more than any Stanford coach I’ve seen (including Monty) took this to heart and used it to his advantage. The next coach needs to be able to do the same thing.

by RickeySteals on Jan 9, 2026 11:08 PM PST up reply actions

Well I hope Jim Harbaugh does well for the San Francisco 49ers and their fans. I wanted him to stay at Stanford another season but I think he had his eye on this job if it came open. One thing for sure is that the 49ers has chosen the right coach for their team. :)