Jim Harbaugh gets a surprise on the sideline at the CFP national championship game

Severe weather in Houston was impacting the pre-game with a leak in the roof of NRG Stadium, but it also delayed a few flights into the city. Including one coming from Baltimore with John Harbaugh, brother of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, and former Michigan defensive coordinator and current Ravens DC Mike MacDonald.

Jim’s Wolverines jumped out to a 7-0 lead with a first-drive touchdown run from Donovan Edwards, and Edwards added another later score. With Jim locked into the game and trying to hold off Michael Penix Jr. and Washington’s offense, John appeared on the sidelines to surprise his older brother. 

John and Jim are familiar with sharing the same field in a championship game. In Super Bowl XLVII, Jim’s San Francisco 49ers met John’s Baltimore Ravens in New Orleans. John bested his older brother and has outlasted him in the NFL. A few years later, Jim was let go by San Francisco and returned to his alma mater. 

Now, with John’s Ravens on a bye week after securing the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs with a 13-4 regular season, the best record in the NFL, he was able to join his brother and their parents in Houston for the CFP national championship game. 

Only this time, the brothers are on the same sideline, and the Harbaugh family is all-in on Michigan, hopping to get Jim a championship like John got back in 2013. Michigan will go into halftime with a 17-10 lead over Washington after Michael Penix Jr. finally broke through with a last-minute touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan.