Jim Harbaugh’s experience with these quarterbacks would help Chicago Bears

Jim Harbaugh’s experience with Rich Gannon should be on Chicago Bears’ radar

There is a funny parallel between the Bears and 2002 Rich Gannon. When Chicago hired Marc Trestman to be their head coach, everyone pointed at that season Gannon had when Trestman was the offensive coordinator in Oakland.

What might have been an even more key contributing factor in Gannon’s season that year is the fact that Harbaugh was his quarterbacks coach.

That was the season in which Oakland met the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl, and ultimately lost the game. But, that season as a whole was a resounding success for Gannon.

He was 37 years old that season and had arguably the best year of his career with Harbaugh by his side. Gannon threw for 4,689 yards and 26 touchdowns that year — the highest yardage total of his career, and the only time he ever topped the 4,000-yard mark in his 18 seasons.

This is a great example of Harbaugh coaching different styles of quarterbacks. Gannon was a pocket passer and not mobile whatsoever, and Harbaugh got the most out of him that year.