Jim Harbaugh gets honest about Jed York, 49ers Super Bowl regrets

Former San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh just landed a new job as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Upon his return to the NFL, he was recently asked about his time with the 49ers and their owner Jed York as well as the crushing Super Bowl loss to the Ravens.

Jim Harbaugh gets honest about Jed York, 49ers Super Bowl regrets

Harbaugh holds an interesting place among 49ers fans because he led the team to the NFC Championship in his first year with the team, a Super Bowl appearance in his second year, and to another NFC championship game in his third year., losing all three games

The success he brought to the franchise after so many mediocre years was nothing short of remarkable. His unique personality and bombastic sideline outbursts endeared him to 49ers fans and players alike. But then, after an 8-8 season in his fourth year, he was gone.

An acrimonious relationship with general manager Trent Baalke is what seemingly led to the 49ers moving on from Harbaugh. At the time, it seemed like a disastrous decision. Two years later after the 49ers had cycled through two head coaches in two years and had a 2-14 record under Chip Kelly in 2016, it looked like one of the most disastrous decisions the franchise had ever made.

Thankfully, 49ers owner Jed York was able to right the ship and make two hires that have turned out phenomenally in Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. But Harbaugh still has thoughts on his time with the 49ers' organization.

In an interview with NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco, Harbaugh got honest about his thoughts on Jed York and the 49ers organization:

""Jed's an incredible owner and Kyle's an amazing coach and John ... I mean they've already cemented their legacy, they're great at what they do, but yeah they want to put that exclamation point on it and be simply known as world champions.""

- Jim Harbaugh on Jed York and 49ers

Harbaugh really had nothing but nice things to say about the 49ers organization. With it being nearly 10 years since the unceremonious ending of Harbaugh's time in San Francisco and with him going on to lead Michigan to a national championship this past season in college football, it is likely that most of the bad blood and bitter feelings have faded away.

Harbaugh also spoke with Maiocco about any regrets he has with the 49ers coming up just short in the Super Bowl against the Ravens:

""I wish we would have run the ball, would have taken a crack with Frank Gore [with] a couple carries down there. Woulda, coulda, shoulda. It's the kind of stuff that haunts you, because you walk off the field and go 'There will be other days' and you realize that might have been the only day. And to have a chance to have another day, that's all you can ask for is a chance.""

- Jim Harbaugh on Super Bowl loss

49ers fans have often complained about offensive coordinator Greg Roman's decision to throw the ball three times from the five yard line when the team had Frank Gore at running back and one of the most gifted quarterback runners the league has ever seen in Colin Kaepernick. Of course, Roman was just hired as part of Harbaugh's staff with the Chargers.

Nonetheless, the past is the past. Ultimately, things have worked out well for both sides as Harbaugh got to have great success at Michigan and the 49ers have built a seemingly much more consistent model of success under Shanahan and Lynch.

It would be poetic if the 49ers were able to win the Super Bowl this Sunday just over a month after Harbaugh led the Wolverines to the national championship. It would not completely erase the loss against the Ravens 11 years ago, but it would make it hurt a little less.

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