Faithful Flashbacks #78: Jim Harbaugh Wins Coach of the Year

Moment No. 78 in our "Faithful Flashbacks" series, counting down the 80 best moments in the history of the San Francisco 49ers features former head coach Jim Harbaugh once again.

BY BRENDEN NUNES

May 20, 2026, 11:33 AM

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In honor of the San Francisco 49ers celebrating their 80th anniversary, Sactown Sports is kicking off a countdown of the 80 greatest moments in the franchise’s illustrious history in reverse order called “Faithful Flashbacks.”

From Super Bowl-winning plays to overperforming teams that had minimal expectations, there’s plenty to choose from the team with five titles under its belt.

The voting was conducted by a handful of the Sactown Sports’ staffers before results were compiled into a full list that will countdown to the 49ers’ 2026 NFL regular season debut against the Rams in Melbourne, Australia, on September 10th.

Faithful Flashbacks -- San Francisco 49ers 80 Best Moments

When Jim Harbaugh took over as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers in 2011, he proved to be a key factor in turning the franchise around from a low point.

Before he arrived, San Francisco had gone eight straight seasons without making the playoffs. The once prestigious franchise had been struggling, but Harbaugh helped change that almost immediately.

Harbaugh was hired by San Francisco ahead of the 2011 season after four years as the head coach at Stanford. The 49ers were coming off a 6-10 season in 2010, but immediately jumped to 13-3 in Harbaugh’s first year. That record gave San Francisco the NFC West title and its first playoff appearance since 2002.

Leading that turnaround of a historic franchise back to relevance earned Harbaugh the Coach of the Year award. He received 45 of 50 votes from, easily beating out Green Bay’s Mike McCarthy and Denver’s John Fox.

San Francisco’s season ended just short of the Super Bowl, with a loss to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game, but the year was a notable turning point for the franchise. In Harbaugh’s first season, the 49ers went from a team that had missed the playoffs for nearly a decade to one competing for a title.

“I’ve said so often how proud I was of this team,” Harbaugh said at his acceptance speech. He also credited his players for how they “played their hearts out.”

Harbaugh’s Coach of the Year win reflected how quickly the 49ers became relevant again under his leadership. His first season in San Francisco was the beginning of a strong multi-year run, including three straight NFC Championship Game appearances and a Super Bowl appearance the following season.