Super-Baugh

Jim and John Harbaugh

For the first time two brothers were coaching against each other in the Super Bowl. For the first time a set of parents went into the game already knowing that their son would be World Champions. Jack and Jackie Harbaugh also went into the game knowing that their son would lose. Proud parents, absolutely! But watching Jim hurt from a loss cast a shadow on celebrating the joys of victory with John.

Jacoby Jones returned a 108 yarder in the second-half kickoff to make it a 28-6 game. It wasn’t looking like the SuperBaugh football fans were expecting. Then the ghost of New Orleans made an appearance and a power outage delayed the game for 34 minutes and gave the 49er’s the surge to battle for the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history. But it was John and his Ravens who held Jim and the 49er’s to a 34-31 victory.

As the brothers met at midfield surrounded by media as purple and yellow confetti started pouring from the superdome, it may have been the hardest walk for both brothers. John told his younger brother that he loved him. Jim said “congratulations.” A family that is as competitive as the Harbaugh’s isn’t expected to take a loss well, even if it means your family still wins.

Super Bowl 47 is a bitter sweet moment for the Harbaugh family. It was also an emotional day for one of Jim’s sons, Jay. Jay worked for his uncle John and the Ravens as a support staffer. His employer and his family were celebrating in the locker room and down the hall his father was grieving a devastating loss.  

Winning a Super Bowl demands non-stop appearances for media, players and all those suits invested into the team. Even if John and Jim wanted to have more a private moment it wasn’t going to happen while the cameras were still rolling. It may take days even weeks, but when the time is right Jim will look back and be proud of his big brother John.

Time may never fully heal the wounds of a Super Bowl loss for Jim Harbaugh, but like John said in a post-game interview there is “no greater coach in the NFL than Jim Harbaugh.” There will be more Super Bowls appearance for the Harbaughs; maybe even a rematch, but Jim will not leave the game without a collection of Championship rings of his own.