LA Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh went through two big medical procedures this offseason. After getting a hip replacement and having heart surgery, his doctors gave him the green light to get back to coaching.
"Had a hip replaced and a heart ablation, and now the doctors can't find anything wrong with me. Got an A-grade," said Harbaugh to ESPN.
His health problems started during the 2023 season when he experienced a worrying heart flutter in Week 6 against Denver. Medical staff checked him out in the locker room, keeping him on a heart monitor for two weeks after that.
This wasn't the first time he's had heart problems. The coach first ran into heart issues back in 2012, during a Monday night game while coaching San Francisco against Chicago. He's had to get this particular heart procedure done three times since then.
The medical team spotted his obvious limp before surgery. Right when minicamp kicked off, his new hip had him walking normally again.
"It would take my heart stopping for me not to be out there on the sidelines," Harbaugh stated, shrugging off worries about his health problems.
With their coach back in good shape, the Chargers dove into minicamp. The staff is keeping an eye on how he's doing as they get ready for preseason.
When his heart would act up - racing way too fast - the stubborn coach wouldn't leave games early. He'd stick it out until the game ended before getting checked out.
Because of his ongoing heart problems, doctors pushed him to get these surgeries to play it safe. The treatment should help prevent future heart issues during stressful game situations.
