Harbaugh On Sweeping Kansas City Chiefs | LA Chargers

Harbaugh On Sweeping Kansas City Chiefs | LA Chargers

So, what jumps out to you watching the tape back from yesterday? Uh, great team win. Um, so many contributed and played, uh, played at a really, really high level and, uh, clutch performances. Uh, you know, very, very strong men, very tough men. You have any update on ARJ? Uh, we’ll see how the treatment goes in the next couple days. Have more for you on Wednesday on that. It is a shoulder. A shoulder. We saw um Trevor Penning and Mai rotating at right guard. Was that health injury related? Was that the plan going into the game to get Trevor some work at right? No, he um it was uh kind of got got rolled up on early and uh never wanted to come out or you know wasn’t ruled out. played through it and uh you saw him play the the entire second half, but uh yeah, felt like while he was still working through that uh Trevor went in at right guard and did an amazing job at uh tight end position as well. You guys made that decision. Yeah, we made we made the decision. So, it just was sort of flipping drives in the first half. Yeah, just needed some time to walk it off. just needed some time to to uh the old analogy, walk it off and he did. Are you guys worried at all that that Tony might be suspended? Uh I haven’t had any conversations with the league. You mentioned uh Trevor coming in some of those 60 line packages. Um what’ you like about that? Was he sort of taking on some of the stuff that that Tucker was doing or was it sort of new stuff that you had put in there? Was a combination of that those things? Yeah, credit to to Trevor Penny really. Um it was all new for him uh doing a lot of the Tuck Tucker Fist um type of assignments. Yes. Uh and to have that put in, you know, beginning of the week and it looked so good. We just, you know, um say, “Yeah, we’re going to go with this.” you know, just saw it an hour ago on Wednesday, but we’re going to be using this on Sunday. And he did a great job of understanding uh his responsibilities and assignments um and executed them very well. On the uh third and 16 called the ball and threw it back to Mariano. Was that about his time? Yes. So, did it did it go as planned there? Like did it go as you would like? Uh Chiefs Chiefs did a great job sniffing it out. Credit to them. In that situation, considering Keen caught the ball and you guys were pretty close to field goal range, you would have been pretty close to the Cam’s range if he had maybe gotten a couple yards ahead. Is there any coaching point about like if you have space in front of you, just take it to to get the field goal range or you guys you guys wanted to try and run that? Yeah, we were trying to we were trying to run the play. How did you kind of feel about the overall physicality and off base yesterday? you feel like as the game went on, you guys kind of, you know, getting more and more physical? Uh, yeah, I thought, uh, thought our team did a really good job in that regard. Um, in all three phases, it was a, uh, it was one of those December games, you know, division game, uh, everybody fighting for their playoff lives and, uh, you know, huge challenge. I thought our guys acquitted themselves very well. Just kind of staying on that point, I guess, since the bye-week, just what do you like about the way you guys responded? A couple guys in the locker room just mentioned yesterday just like how you know they were focused coming off the bye to you know build on on the first part of the season. Yeah. Um yeah, been been uh been been really good. I I think there’s u you know just been a you know really great focus, you know, one day at a time, one play at a time, one game at a time. Uh and it’s it’s uh it’s resonated throughout the entire team organization. That’s been a laser focus on that. You uh used the word unselfish to describe the team uh yesterday. It’s a word that Khil has actually used to describe the edge room specifically um in terms of you know how eager and willing they are to run these stunts to open up rushing lanes for their teammates. just how important do you think that’s been for that room in terms of the the productivity and and what do you think’s created that sort of culture in the ed room specifically? Yeah, like last week I said that after the Eagles game there’s uh that’s uh I said unselfish unselfish in the pass rushers, you know, in the games uh in the in the you know the coordination pass rush and coverage uh that’s not just going for the sack is what it means, you know, not uh doing uh everybody doing their job, everybody doing their assignment, playing team defense, uh running to the ball. Definitely the front was uh you know not just the edges the there was dominant play in the in the middle of the defense. Uh Deshan Han had a dominant game. Uh so did Tier Tart and um playing some of Tiier’s playing his best football. Deshawn’s playing playing great. Um you know our guys up front really did a great job controlling uh the run game. Uh yeah, that was that was a great run wall that uh and then the playmakers were uh were incredible. Deion Henley. Uh incredible game by him spying spying the quarterback. Uh really all over the field. Uh makes an interception. Uh like a like a like a DB. Uh and great stat. I mean Derwin James all over the field. um the way he was the way Jesse moved him from position to position um put him in positions to be successful, but he played amazing. Um amazing game. 10 tackles, two PBUs, game- ending, interception, and uh and a whole lot more. Big hit. A lot of lot of them just down in and down out uh you know, setting the tone and and uh playing great great football. Just going back to the physicality on defense. Did you did you challenge the guys at all after Jacksonville and I know you mentioned after that game just the physicality. Was there anything said to the team coming out of the buy just that there’s a standard as far as what you expect in terms of physicality? Uh coming out of the Jacksonville game as as we all recall we we every every which way any measurement you know that’s that’s what I said. And then that uh you know we did not we did not win um you know schematically all those things uh yeah everybody is everybody is uh you know just trying to be better and uh in all in all areas in all phases. So, uh, you know, there’s no specific challenge to, uh, to that at all. We talked about the big play that Trey made at the end of the first half down the left sideline. Just just overall, I mean, he played, I think, 85% of the snaps is uh, most most snaps among the receivers. Just what you think of his game? Great game ball, big play. Um, big plays. He continues to make them. Um I know um he’s a he’s another guy like I think I mentioned this about Aronda Gatson a month ago. Uh Trey is looks like he’s been playing for four or five years. I mean he’s just that veteran mentality. Knows knows everything. Knows all the positions. Uh technique and in terms of blocking, in terms of uh pass catching and and in terms of knowing the offense. Um it’s veteranlike in every way. Um yeah, that was huge catch. Um and great to see Kandre Lambert Smith and make the big kickoff return got us to the 40 yardd line and then uh finish it off in the end zone. Tremendous job by uh KLS too of taking the you know taking the coach and you see that you know that catch he made in the back of the end zone and then the you know swiping at the ball contacts imminent and the ball got a little loose and you know whenever that happens crouch over it roll over it and uh he did that did that technique uh to perfection something that coach Sanjay uh has uh instilled in him and boy paid off with a touchdown. big one. Obviously, after the win yesterday, pretty much was in a good spot just in the playoffs with three games left. Is it just about continuing that, you know, the most important game in the next game, stuff like that kind of mindset? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that was a great winning fun. Um, and it was a happy flight home. And now we just get back together today, Monday, and go to work to make darn sure that uh we can do it again. Definitely the most important game of the year is is the next one. So, let’s let’s go win the next game. I know you don’t like to use the word comfortable, but when it comes to to Cameron Dicker, just like how automatic he seems to be, what what word would you use to describe like the feeling that you get knowing that you have him on the sideline? He’s he’s playing at the the highest level, elite level. Um it’s great. U Josh Harris, you know, playing perfect game after perfect game. And JK Scott’s been been incredible with the holds, the protection. So that’s I mean that’s the fourth phase of that whole battery snap, hold, kick, protect. Uh just keeping them out of our keeping them out of our back field. And uh and then Cameron uh you know, kicking them through the uprights. We’re all we’re all really really confident. Did you expect to have the kind of year he’s having? Uh, I knew he had the light the ability and uh he certainly had the license. Uh, so he’s he’s playing playing great great football. Another one, four tackles, three TFLs, two sacks, eight pressures. Uh just uh you know with numbing repetition, he is uh you know playing at at a really high level. What do you think um has made this team been able to stay afloat throughout the year and bounce back in the way that you guys have bounced back over recent weeks with the injuries, with the loss like you had for the bye? Why do you think you guys have been able to turn it around, I guess? Well, lot a lot of reasons. A uh our team does just a tremendous job of taking it one day at a time, one play at a time, one game at a time. And two incredible leaders, Justin Herbert and Derwin James, um you know, deserve the most credit for setting the tone. That’s how they that’s how they go about each day, each game, each play. Uh, and not only are they great leaders, they’re great playmakers. Um, those two uh set the tone. I would I would give that the most the most uh weight for why uh to answer your question, if you could just, you know, think about yourself for a second. I guess talking about maybe we already talk about yourself, but for you like from a coaching standpoint like why do you think that you are able to seemingly I guess from the outside perspective raise the floor or the you know where a team is supposed to be raise the floor and the ceiling of all the teams that you’ve coached despite like kind of similar question we’ve seen a lot of injuries this year you’re starting like you know your tackles or injuries during games and you this team will again finish with double digit wins. So, why do you think you’ve been able to do that at everywhere you’ve been? Uh, just like any coach, I mean, uh, good players. There’s no no good coaches without good players. And there’s, uh, that’s been saying it since the the day I got here. Uh, I mean, nobody nobody like like Derwin James and and Justin Herbert that I’ve ever been associated with. And your your brothers talk about your ability to like build a staff um, and you know, empowering the people around you. You see that here, you know, great. Um, where does that come from? Your ability to build a staff and kind of just let people do their thing while you do your thing. Um, I think that’s kind of a lifelong thing, you know, just especially with my dad being a coach, you know, that’s it’s uh his best, you know, his that’s what he did, you know, and uh, you know, grew up that way and being able to spot good coaches. They’re good teachers, you know, they uh they also motivate and they also care deeply about uh the football, but also the people. And uh I think I just had a you know rare experience of just lifelong um being around being around really really good coaches and um and when I played same same thing. I mean I was I uh had great mentors, great coaches and you know the so took a lot from him you know everything you know most of my dad though I mean if I uh everything I know comes from my dad and my mom and uh everything I learned comes from those two and uh things I learned on my own were things that they were telling me when I was young. I just wasn’t hearing right at the time. Just one more on you, but like how much did your playing experience influence like the way you coach um any video update, you know, yelling at you on on the sideline and whatever year that was before I was born. Um and then you know you after the game kind of handled it how you know normally like you did. But like did that stuff shape you to how you approach coaching now? I’m sure everybody’s everybody’s most people who coach, you know, played the have played the game. I think everybody’s playing experience uh you know shapes them in and in in a lot of ways. In most ways. What about you? Yeah. In most ways. A lot of way. In a lot of ways. Yeah. Most ways. just offensively, you know, heading into the season, like before, you know, Sean went down, there’s obviously like a certain way that you guys thought you were going to play in terms of uh that side of the ball. Mhm. now just getting through all these injuries and and trying to settle on a grouping up front and now with the way the defense is playing, how how different is the way you’re trying to game plan and play now versus maybe what you were expecting before you guys went through all this situation on the offensive line. It’s a great question. I mean, it’s it’s somewhat unknowable because I mean, mostly we’re just playing what how we would have, you know, um and it it’s always fluid, always, you know, week to week. a new opponent and um so how you’re going to approach it approach it from week to week does does change and vary but um the the guys that have stepped in uh you know we haven’t altered the game plan the um you know they and here’s something from my from my playing career I’ll give you an example like uh like I know like I was a backup at times and uh I never really thought of myself as a backup you know and and when I had an opportunity to play like, okay, I’m going to step in here and show people that, you know, why I’m here. You know, I’m an NFL player. And I see that from our guys, you know, uh the Trey Pepkins, Bobby Hart in his 11th year. Um the uh Jamari Sawer didn’t start as a didn’t start the season as as a starter, but there’s just a mentality there. you just you think of yourself as a starter and you prepare for yourself to to be in there and it’s an opportunity. Let let me get my chance, you know. Uh and we’ve seen that we’ve seen that unfold this year in a very very good way. Guys stepping up. I got to ask you about Tony. When you when you watch the play again, did you saw the same thought you had yesterday on Tony’s hit? The one that got flagged? Uh I did. Yeah, I didn’t know what else he could have done really. Um, and it was uh Tony had a heck of a game. Uh, you know, bunch of tackles, bunch of, you know, uh, breaking on the ball. I mean, had a had a really really good four tackles, one PBU, one pressure. Um, I mean, it just I love the way he plays. Love his attitude. Uh, that particular play. I don’t know what else he could have done. I know uh you know the gestures afterward uh he doesn’t feel he’s already apologized about that that wasn’t the right thing to do. Uh but um yeah, that particular hit, I don’t know what else he could have

LA Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to the media after sweeping Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, & the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday during Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season. Harbaugh discusses rookie wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith’s performance including his first NFL touchdown, rookie wide receiver Tre’ Harris’ veteran mentality, and the unselfishness of outside linebacker Khalil Mack & the rest of the edge room.

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