The 49ers welcome Jim Harbaugh back to Levi's Stadium in the 2025 preseason finale, which will trigger some contrasting feelings.
The San Francisco 49ers will square off against three of the four teams from the AFC West this preseason (thankfully, the schedule makers left off the Super Bowl-nemesis Kansas City Chiefs), meaning the Los Angeles Chargers will make a seemingly annual trip to the Bay Area to face off against the Niners prior to the regular season.
And, yes. That means there'll be a familiar face to San Francisco fans, Bolts head coach Jim Harbaugh.
For those fans new to the red and gold, Harbaugh once served as the 49ers' head coach from 2011 through 2014, turning a talented but poorly led Niners squad around almost instantly and making it a Super Bowl contender. From 2011 through 2013, San Francisco made it to the NFC Championship every season and even represented the NFC in the Super Bowl following the 2012 season.
Things fell apart in 2014, though, which marked the 49ers' first season at their home venue, Levi's Stadium, and clashes between the then-head coach, CEO Jed York and then-general manager Trent Baalke ultimately led to the "mutual" parting of ways with Harbaugh in January of 2015.
Fans would probably like to forget those forgettable 2015 and 2016 seasons in the post-Harbaugh era.
Still, Harbaugh's .695 win percentage during his Niners tenure ranks second best in franchise history, and his legacy is still warmly embraced by San Francisco fans 10 years after his departure.
Harbaugh took over coaching duties in L.A. in 2024 after spending the interim years at his alma mater, the University of Michigan, winning a College Football Playoffs national championship before returning to the pro ranks.
Despite it being a meaningless preseason game, particularly in Week 3 of the exhibition phase, one can probably assume Harbaugh will have some extra motivation to "stick it" to his former employer at the venue he helped build by bringing the 49ers back to prominence over 10 years ago.
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