The Los Angeles Chargers are currently gearing up for a 2025 season that will be filled with expectations after their resurgent year in 2024. The Chargers burst back onto the playoff scene last year under the direction of head coach Jim Harbaugh, who returned to the NFL after coaching the Michigan football team to a national championship the previous season.

Harbaugh recently spoke with reporters about a plethora of topics, including a lifetime of football memories. One moment that stood out to Harbaugh was a 2017 trip to the Vatican, where he had some gifts for the late Pope Francis, who passed away earlier this year.

“Jim Harbaugh says he also met Pope Francis at the Vatican. Gave him a Michigan helmet and size 8.5 Jordans,” reported Lindsey Thiry on X, formerly Twitter.

The news should come as no surprise given Harbaugh's reputation as a selfless individual over the years as a football coach.

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After years of coming up just short, Harbaugh ultimately led his Michigan Wolverines to championship glory during the 2023-24 season, knocking off the Washington Huskies in the championship game.

There was immense speculation the ensuing spring about what the future would hold for Harbaugh, and ultimately, he opted to take his coaching talents to the City of Angels and return to the NFL scene, where he had previously experienced success as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

Harbaugh wasted no time implementing his defense-first approach to the Chargers, also helping star quarterback Justin Herbert continue to develop under his tutelage. The Chargers got a strong rookie season out of wide receiver Ladd McConkey and also saw an array of other unsung heroes step up throughout the campaign.

Heading into 2025, the Chargers will no longer have the benefit of being able to “sneak up” on teams. They will get their first taste of regular season action in early September against the reigning AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs in Brazil.