49ers Blog and Q&A: Q: What's going through Jim Harbaugh's head?

49ers Blog and Q&A

News, notes and reader questions about the San Francisco 49ers

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July 30, 2012

Q: What's going through Jim Harbaugh's head?

I was asked on KNBR radio this morning to explain Jim Harbaugh's unexpected harangue yesterday to the media regarding A.J. Jenkins. It was reminiscent of his May diatribe about the team's non-pursuit of Peyton Manning, during which he backed Alex Smith. To me, the explanation is simple.

1.) Harbaugh always backs his players. The most critical he's ever been of one of his 49ers players came last year when he kinda/sorta called out Braylon Edwards. But even that was mild. As Randy Moss noted on Friday, Harbaugh is a former player who is very much a "players' coach." The 49ers love him for that, and it's effective.

2.) Jim Harbaugh is competitive. (You may have read that somewhere.) He's a feisty guy. Just ask Jim Kelly. Or Pete Carroll. Or Jim Schwartz. The list goes on and on. The 49ers were practicing in pads Sunday for the first time this season. There was a chippy vibe in the air. Harbaugh was merely taking a few swings - verbal swings - at the media.

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A few of you who read about Harbaugh's annual trip to Peru have asked about how you can help. There's a web site called www.santisimo.org that provides a way to get involved.

-- Matt Barrows

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