What happened to Jim Harbaugh? Chargers coach briefly leaves game with 'illness'

(This story was updated with new information)

Former Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh briefly left Sunday's Los Angeles Chargers game against the Denver Broncos before the opening kick.

The former Wolverines coach was seen walking into the blue tent at Mile High Stadium just before kickoff, where he was evaluated by the Chargers medical staff. Following a quick evaluation in the medical tent, Harbaugh went into the Chargers' locker room at the stadium for further evaluation.

He later returned midway through the first quarter in Denver.

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Here's the latest on Harbaugh:

What happened to Jim Harbaugh?

Harbaugh left Sunday's Chargers game vs. the Denver Broncos with what the team deemed to be an illness. The Chargers announced on X (formerly Twitter) that Harbaugh was questionable to return to Sunday's game.

CBS's broadcast showed Harbaugh leaving the sidelines just before kickoff on Sunday and heading into the blue medical tent at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium in Denver.

Harbaugh later returned to the sidelines roughly halfway through the first quarter.

In Baltimore, Ravens coach John Harbaugh — Jim Harbaugh's brother — had his postgame news conference cut short when a member of the Ravens' public relations department informed him that his brother went into the medical tent.

Jim Harbaugh comments on exit

Following the Chargers' 23-16 win over the Broncos, Jim Harbaugh told assembled media members in Denver that he has been dealing with arrhythmia and had a flare-up before kickoff. Los Angeles Times reporter Thuc Nhi Nguyen reported on X (formerly Twitter) that Harbaugh got an IV and magnesium pill in the locker room before returning.

"It is called atrial flutter and I had an episode today with it. Doctors checked me out and it got back into normal rhythm," Harbaugh said.

When further asked by a reporter what he meant by episode, Harbaugh said the following:

"You could tell there were some irregular beats," Harbaugh said. "... I had a couple of ablations (in the past). One in 1999 and one in 2012. I will always remember the one in 2012, it was during the Monday Night Game with Colin Kaepernick and the (San Fransisco 49ers) vs. the Chicago Bears. ... I ended up having an ablation for that one because it didn't go back in rhythm."

He added jokingly: "2-0 with arrhythmias."

Who was the interim Chargers head coach?

Former Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, in the same role in Los Angeles, served as the Chargers' interim head coach when Harbaugh was away from the game.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: What happened to Jim Harbaugh? Chargers coach briefly leaves game with 'illness'