Even as Jim Harbaugh leads No. 1 Michigan into the College Football Playoff national championship game, speculation about where the coach of the future will be is a common offseason story for the previous few seasons. Now that kickoff is almost here, several NFL insiders think he has a common interest in one team in particular.

That group? An unnamed NFL coach who talked with The Athletic claimed that the Los Angeles Chargers were interested in Harbaugh, and vice versa.

The coach told The Athletic that “they want Harbaugh, and he wants them,” and that the Raiders would be considering a trade. Both teams offer opportunities: the Chargers, owned by the more involved Spanos family, have a quarterback in Justin Herbert, while the Raiders would provide him more freedom.

Regarding the Chargers, an official continued, “They have the new stadium and the revenue it generates. Nobody in the ownership would prevent Harbaugh from accepting the position. Given Harbaugh’s demeanour, they might change their minds after their meeting, but they must act for the good of the community, the players, and the fans.”

Late in the season, rumours about Harbaugh’s coaching future intensified further. It was reported that the Michigan coach had hired agent Don Yee, a seasoned representative with extensive NFL connections, and that Harbaugh had not yet signed a new contract with the Wolverines despite receiving many long-term offers from the university.