National Football League

Chargers' white smoke post leads social media reaction to Jim Harbaugh news

Updated Jan. 24, 2024 10:24 p.m. ET

Jim Harbaugh is back in the NFL, back on the West Coast and back with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Just 16 days after leading Michigan to a 15-0 season and a College Football Playoff championship, the Wolverines' first undisputed national title since 1948, Harbaugh has reportedly returned to the professional ranks and ended his nine-year tenure at his alma mater by agreeing to a deal to become the Chargers' next head coach.

Before the Chargers even officially announced the return of Harbaugh, their onetime quarterback in the late 1990s, their social media team had a perfect response to the news, posting a pope-esque "white smoke" graphic followed by Harbaugh's famed catchphrase at Michigan.

The Chargers then changed their profile picture on X (formerly Twitter) — and had an incredible reference to their infamous PF Changs tweet from the early days of their Twitter account ready to go.

Harbaugh's candidacy was one of the biggest stories in both the NFL and college football worlds in recent days — one of the highest-profile and most accomplished candidates in this NFL coaching cycle joins star quarterback Justin Herbert in Los Angeles, while yet another elite-tier college football job is open.

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Here's how the others on social media reacted to this seismic news for the NFL and college football.