When Jim Harbaugh speaks to his Chargers, they are very attentive to what their coach is trying to share.
(Gregory Bull / Associated Press)
The definitive “Harbaughism” shared by both Jim and older brother John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens, the Chargers break huddles after games with their coach at the center shouting, “Who’s got it better than us?”
“No-body!” the team responds, elongating the first syllable.
The phrase the Harbaugh brothers credit to their father Jack sometimes flashes on the massive screen in the lobby of the Chargers practice facility. More than just a family motto or team chant, the expression has ascended to iconic status for many players who work in the Chargers’ $250-million training facility, soak in the sun’s rays during a fall practice and cool off with the gentle South Bay breeze.
“I take a step back and think about my life over the last 10 years, I’m living the dream, you know?” said Heinicke, the backup quarterback who joined the Chargers in a trade in August. “As a kid, I always wanted to be an NFL quarterback. The fact I get to do this every day for the last 10 years … I believe no one has it better than me.”
Running back Hassan Haskins already had heard the phrase for years before the Chargers claimed him off waivers after training camp this summer. After playing for Harbaugh at Michigan, reuniting with his college coach in L.A. and getting to join their chorus of “no-body” in the huddle felt like returning to a familiar football family.
“It’s just a mindset really,” said Haskins, who was a third-team Associated Press All-American at Michigan in 2021. “Nobody can stop us. Nobody can bring us down.”
Harbaugh’s attitude of enthusiasm and gratitude helped carry the Wolverines to the national championship. He turned Stanford into a national powerhouse. He took the San Francisco 49ers to the NFC championship game three straight seasons.
At each stop, he carried his book of eccentric catchphrases with the plot always focused on winning.