EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Archie Manning can empathize with what Jack Harbaugh will be going through again on Monday night.
For the first time in 11 years, the 85-year-old patriarch of the Harbaugh family has to be a neutral observer with Jim’s Los Angeles Chargers hosting John’s Baltimore Ravens in the third matchup between the coaching brothers.
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Manning, more than anyone, knows the attention and conflicting emotions of these games. He had to go through it three times when his sons, quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, faced off. Peyton won all three meetings over Eli and the New York Giants, first with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006 and ’10, and then with the Denver Broncos in 2013.
At least Manning and his wife, Olivia, had something to root for during those games — the offenses of both teams their sons were leading. Jack and Jackie Harbaugh can’t get that since the head coaches are responsible for all the players.
"The first thing is you’re proud because it is pretty unique. The second thing is, you don’t like it," Archie Manning said during a phone call. "You’re proud that both are in the National Football League, but you just assume it wouldn’t happen. It wasn’t fun. I guess we were lucky it happened only three times. Heck, they could have been in the same division and done it 20 times."
Jack Harbaugh didn’t do interviews this week. He said that, leading up to Super Bowl 47, he appreciated hearing from Manning before it happened the first time in 2011 when Jim’s San Francisco 49ers visited John’s Baltimore squad.
The Ravens won that game 16-6. John received even more bragging rights the following season after the Ravens’ 34-31 victory in New Orleans on Feb. 3, 2013, on football’s ultimate stage.
Before the first “Harbaugh Bowl,” Archie Manning offered Jack Harbaugh some advice — “It will be over soon enough.”
Jack and Jackie Harbaugh attended the first two meetings, but will not be at Monday’s game. Instead, they will be at their daughter Joanie’s house in Bradenton, Florida, for Thanksgiving and to celebrate their 63rd wedding anniversary.
Chargers defensive analyst Rick Minter went up against Jack Harbaugh before getting to coach with both sons. John Harbaugh was on Minter’s staff at the University of Cincinnati and has been on Jim Harbaugh’s staffs at Michigan and the Chargers when his son, Jesse, was hired as defensive coordinator.
“Both sons are so tuned into their father with great respect. He’s passed (the game) down in so many ways to them, but they still look to him for advice,” Minter said. “Jack still does it where he watches game films (of the Ravens and Chargers) and writes up reports.
“Jack is a crowd-pleasing speaker. He’s excitable and emotional, and he brings it out and gets his message across. I don’t know if Jack and John are either one. They are more modern, less authoritative and more connective, collaborative and well-spoken and all those types of things.”
The Harbaughs, though, aren’t the only connections in this matchup. Five assistant coaches on Jim Harbaugh’s staff — including offensive coordinator Greg Roman and Jesse Minter — also coached for John Harbaugh in Baltimore.
Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz spent 26 seasons in the Ravens front office before coming to Los Angeles when Jim Harbaugh returned to the NFL earlier this year.
Roman, who has been an assistant for Jim Harbaugh for seven years at Stanford, San Francisco, and the Chargers, along with five seasons with John Harbaugh in Baltimore, said the feeling going into Monday night has been the same as any other game on the schedule.
Roman was asked again this past week to point out the differences between the two brothers, but he pointed out the similarities.
“I learned a lot from both of them. Every brother and sister, everybody’s different, you know. So it’s an interesting juxtaposition if you will,” he said. “But very similar in a lot of ways and just a little different nuances with each. But they’re very strong leaders.”
Six players, including running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, are also former Ravens. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy was with the Chargers during the 2022 season, while backup quarterback Josh Johnson (San Diego) and outside linebacker David Ojabo (Michigan) played for Jim Harbaugh in college.
The Chargers (7-3) have a four-game winning streak.
The Ravens (7-4) entered the weekend trailing the Steelers by a game in the AFC North and also can’t afford to fall behind in the wild-card race.
“It’s going to be different but fun because it is two similar type ballclubs hashing it out,” said Chargers safety and former Raven Tony Jefferson. “It is two physical teams on both sides of the ball and dynamic players at quarterback. It lines up to be a good matchup, and that’s what you strive for in games, especially prime time.”
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