The other three AFC West teams have tried just about everything when it comes to dethroning the Kansas City Chiefs at the top of the division. The latest ploy has been to hire proven coaches to lead their teams with the Chargers hiring [Jim Harbaugh](https://arrowheadaddict.com/even-jim-harbaugh-couldn-t-stop-the-chiefs-from-winning-the-afc-west-01jemg0qwmde) in the 2024 offseason.
Now, everyone knew when Harbaugh left Michigan that it wasn't simply because he wanted a challenge. Harbaugh was dominating in Ann Arbor, leading the Wolverines to a National Championship in the 2023 season, which ended up being his swan song with his alma mater. Harbaugh jumped ship while he could because we all knew that the sanctions from the sign-stealing scandal were going to hit him hard.
Well, [that punishment](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/michigan-sign-stealing-penalties-jim-harbaugh-10-year-show-cause-hefty-fines-among-ncaa-punishments/) has been announced, and, according to Cody Nagel and Matt Zenitz of _CBS Sports_, Harbaugh will receive "A 10-year show-cause order, restricting him from all athletically related activities during the show-cause period, which will begin on Aug. 7, 2028, at the conclusion of his four-year show-cause order from a previous case."
What does this mean for the Chiefs? Well, it means that, since Harbaugh won't have the college ranks to run back to or be tempted by until 2038, they're likely stuck squaring off against him twice a year for the foreseeable future.
Jim Harbaugh's punishment likely keeps him in AFC West long-term
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Chiefs fans have already seen the kind of effect that Harbaugh has had on the Chargers. The Bolts went from a dreadful five-win team in 2023 to winning 11 games and making the playoffs in 2024. This isn't a shocking turnaround either considering the level of success that Harbaugh has had everywhere he's been.
He helped lead Stanford to an Orange Bowl win when he coached there, led the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance just two years into his head coaching stint there, and then, of course, he led Michigan to a National Championship while coaching his alma mater. Clearly, Harbaugh knows how to win big games and that's troubling for Chiefs fans since the Chargers are in the same division as K.C.
What Chiefs fans have to hope for now is for the Chargers to screw this up the way they often do. Harbaugh was successful in San Francisco but the 49ers still parted ways with him so maybe the Chargers will fall into that same trap. It is worth noting that Harbaugh is only six years younger than Andy Reid so it's not like he'll be the Chargers' head coach for the next 15 years but Chiefs fans would still like to see that franchise not sniff an ounce of success. Harbaugh makes that a more difficult visual for sure.
Harbaugh deserved to be punished for his role in Michigan's sign-stealing scandal but, unfortunately, this punishment only helps the Chargers because it means there are fewer places for him to run to down the road.