Chargers strongly considered former NFL Coach of the Year before landing Jim Harbaugh this offseason

The Los Angeles Chargers may have grabbed the top-ranked recruit on the NFL coaching carousel this offseason, as they tabbed former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh as their new lead man. The younger brother of Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is fresh off a College Football Playoff National Championship after leading his Wolverines to an undefeated season, but could no longer resist the call of "the shield."

While Harbaugh was undoubtedly a top target for teams looking for new head coaches, the Chargers had another big name in their crosshairs: former NFL Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel. During a recent interview on "Pardon my Take," Vrabel revealed that he was likely the Chargers' second choice behind Harbaugh.

"Thought I had a great interview in L.A. for the Chargers, and Harbaugh decided to come back to the NFL, and that's what Mr. Spanos and John Spanos communicated with me," Vrabel said. "And I respect them for that. They literally called me on a speaker phone -- and that rarely happens where if an owner is going to interview you and then go in a different direction that they'll personally call you. And they were like, 'Second place isn't going to give you much, but wanted to tell you that we just had an opportunity to hire Jim Harbaugh.'"

Vrabel was fired by the Tennessee Titans this offseason after posting a 6-11 record -- his second straight losing season. Overall, Vrabel went 54-45 during his six seasons with the Titans, and 2-3 in the playoffs. In 2019, which was Vrabel's second season as head coach, the Titans made an impressive AFC Championship run, where they upset Tom Brady in his final game as a member of the New England Patriots , and then downed NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and the No. 1-seeded Ravens on their home field. In 2021, Vrabel won NFL Coach of the Year after Tennessee secured the No. 1 seed in the conference despite numerous injuries.

Vrabel did not land another head-coaching gig this offseason, and joined the Cleveland Browns as a coaching and personnel consultant . Apart from the Chargers, Vrabel also reportedly had interviews lined up with the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons .