Jim Harbaugh experiences atrial flutter during Sunday’s game against the Broncos
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, 60, briefly left the sidelines during the team’s 23-16 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday due to an episode of atrial flutter, a heart condition that causes an irregular heartbeat. Harbaugh returned to coach later in the first quarter after receiving medical attention.
Harbaugh, a seasoned NFL coach and former San Francisco 49ers leader, described the episode as a form of arrhythmia he has dealt with in the past. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter temporarily stepped in as head coach during Harbaugh’s absence.
What happened to Jim Harbaugh during the game?
In a postgame press conference, Jim Harbaugh shared that he noticed irregular heartbeats during the first quarter of the game, prompting him to visit the medical tent. “I could tell some irregular beats were going on,” Harbaugh said. After receiving fluids and undergoing an EKG test administered by the Chargers’ medical staff, doctors confirmed that his heart had returned to normal sinus rhythm.
“I deal with this, I guess, minor [problem], it’s called atrial flutter,” Harbaugh explained. “Doctors checked me out, and it got back into sinus rhythm, normal rhythm. So I came back.”
The veteran coach stressed the importance of trusting medical professionals, noting that after receiving confirmation that his heart was back in rhythm, he returned to the field to finish coaching the game.
Does Jim Harbaugh have a history of heart issues?
Harbaugh has a documented history of heart arrhythmias. He underwent two cardiac ablation procedures in 1999 and 2012 to correct similar issues. “I’ll always remember the one in 2012 because it was during the Monday night game, Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers versus the Chicago Bears,” Harbaugh recalled.
An ablation is a procedure that uses radiofrequency energy to destroy heart tissue responsible for irregular heartbeats, restoring the heart’s natural rhythm.
Joking about his record with arrhythmias, Harbaugh said, “I’m 2-0 with arrhythmias,” referring to his recovery after both the 2012 episode and Sunday’s incident.
John Harbaugh leaves press conference to check on brother
Jim Harbaugh’s brother, John Harbaugh, head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, abruptly left his postgame press conference after being informed about his brother’s health scare. Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz had reached out to John, who then called their parents before checking on Jim.
The Harbaugh brothers, both well-known football coaches, share a close relationship and previously faced off in the 2013 Super Bowl, where John’s Ravens defeated Jim’s 49ers in a close 34-31 game.
Despite the health scare, Jim Harbaugh appeared in good spirits and finished the game, leading the Chargers to a crucial road victory.