Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh had to receive medical attention for a heart rhythm problem before Sunday’s 23-16 victory over the Denver Broncos.
Harbaugh said he experienced ‘atrial flutter,’ also known as an arrhythmia, but his heartbeat returned to its normal rhythm after going to the locker room.
Harbaugh, 60, was dealing with the issue just before the contest and was examined in the medical tent on the sidelines.
Then, just after the game started, he walked off the field with the team’s coaches and the club announced that he left due to illness.
Harbaugh said he received an IV from paramedics and was given a magnesium pill before returning to the sideline midway through the first quarter.
Jim Harbaugh was taken to the blue medical tent before the Chargers tipped off Sunday.
The 60-year-old coach was then escorted back to the locker room for further checks.
This was the second time Harbaugh experienced arrhythmia during a game. The other came on November 19, 2012 when he was coach of the San Francisco 49ers during their 32-7 victory over the Chicago Bears.
“I’ve had a couple ablations, one in 1999 and one in 2012,” Harbaugh said of a procedure that treats irregular heart rhythms.
“I always remember the one in 2012. It was during the Monday night game: Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers against the Chicago Bears and Colin had a great night.”
Harbaugh said he would see his cardiologist on Monday.
After saying, “I noticed there were some irregular heartbeats,” Harbaugh joked, “I’m medically qualified to talk about it.”
He then added that he is now “2-0 with arrhythmias.”
Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter served as head coach while Harbaugh was absent.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said he had no idea Harbaugh had left the field or that he was experiencing a heart problem.
Harbaugh revealed after the game in Denver that he suffered ‘atrial flutter’ before kickoff
Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, Jim’s older brother, was removed from his postgame press conference due to the situation.
The Chargers (3-2) looked for much of the afternoon as if they were going to give the Broncos (3-3) their first home shutout in their 65-year history.
But after two turnovers and five punts, Bo Nix led the Broncos on a 95-yard scoring drive capped by his two-yard pass to fellow Oregon alum Troy Franklin early in the fourth quarter.
Courtland Sutton then made a 15-yard touchdown catch with 5:22 remaining, but a failed two-point attempt left the double-digit deficit in place.
The Broncos got to the Chargers 32 on their next possession and Wil Lutz’s 40-yard field goal on the first down made the score 23-16 with 59 seconds left.
His onside kick, however, failed and the Chargers earned their first win over Denver in two years and their first against Sean Payton in seven tries.