When Jim Harbaugh faced his brother John for a postgame handshake after Super Bowl XLVII, he hoped for a chance to get revenge someday.
Nearly 12 years later, the two brothers will meet again as NFL head coaches when the Baltimore Ravens play the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night.
Both teams are in the playoff race, with Baltimore holding a 7-4 record and the Chargers at 7-3.
John Harbaugh has won both of their previous matchups in the NFL, including the Ravens’ 34-31 victory over Jim’s San Francisco 49ers in the 2012 Super Bowl. The other meeting was on Thanksgiving Day in 2011, when the Ravens won 16-6 at home.
The upcoming game has sparked a lot of excitement, with the two brothers preparing to meet once again.
“It’s a tough matchup,” said John Harbaugh, 62, on Wednesday. “Winning football team. Extremely well-coached football team, no doubt about it. One of the best coaches of our generation. Even if he wasn’t my brother, I’d say that.”
Jim Harbaugh, 60, is back in the NFL after coaching Michigan for nine years, including winning the national championship last season. He had previously spent four seasons coaching the 49ers.
His time in college football made the wait longer to face John, who has been coaching the Ravens for 17 seasons.
Jim admitted that the Super Bowl loss to John was tough but said that over time, he felt proud of his brother’s success.
“At the time, that was tough,” Jim said Wednesday. “After some time and reflection went by, it’s my brother, it’s my best friend. Really proud of him. Really happy for his success. It was earned.”
Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said it’s special to be a part of the brotherly rivalry.
“From his perspective, he’s done a good job managing emotions,” Hamilton said of John. “We still have a game to play, but I think everybody understands it’s kind of historic and it’s cool to be part of history.”
Both coaches made it clear that they didn’t want the brotherly rivalry to overshadow this important AFC matchup.
The Ravens are currently in second place in the AFC North, one game behind the Pittsburgh Steelers. Baltimore has a 4-4 record against AFC teams.
The Chargers are two games behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West, with a strong 5-2 record against AFC opponents.
Baltimore lost 18-16 to the Steelers last week after winning seven of their previous eight games. The Chargers have won four straight, including a 34-27 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Both teams have quarterbacks having solid seasons.
Lamar Jackson, the two-time NFL MVP for Baltimore, ranks second in the league in passing yards (2,876) and touchdown passes (25). He has only three interceptions and has rushed for 584 yards and two touchdowns.
Justin Herbert, the Chargers’ quarterback, has thrown for 2,186 yards and 13 touchdowns, with just one interception.
“His talent, the effort that he puts in. Everything that you can say good about a quarterback and then some,” Jim Harbaugh said about Herbert.
“Talent and effort, and then intangibles that are off the charts. Any measurable you can have for a quarterback, tangible or intangible, he possesses at the elite, highest level.”
Ravens middle linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring) missed practice on Thursday after getting injured against the Steelers. Smith is tied for the NFL lead in tackles with 110.
Also absent from practice for Baltimore were receiver Nelson Agholor (illness), cornerback Arthur Maulet (calf), safety Sanoussi Kane (ankle), and defensive lineman Travis Jones (ankle).
Chargers rookie receiver Ladd McConkey (shoulder) sat out practice after being hurt against the Bengals. Middle linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin), cornerback Cam Hart (concussion/ankle), and safety AJ Finley (ankle) were also missing from practice.
The Ravens have won the last four regular-season meetings between these two teams, but the Chargers won 23-17 in a wild-card game after the 2018 regular season.
