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Jim Harbaugh, in quintessential Jim Harbaugh fashion, was holding court about his pants after the Chargers’ preseason finale against the 49ers. Yes, pants. And, of course, it was about more than pants — it was about change, renewal, and maybe, in a subtle way, about Trey Lance, the NFL, and Harbaugh himself.

“Probably noticed I’ve moved to a different color,” Harbaugh said with a grin, pointing to his gray slacks at the podium. “I can’t remember when it was, probably 2018 or 2019, went to blue at Michigan. Wore those for five or six years. And now I’m in gray. You don’t want things to get stale, you know? It’s like over-ripe fruit, stale bread, burned meat. Gotta change things up.”

That’s Harbaugh: quirky, intense, and somehow always pulling the conversation back to life lessons.

Back to Levi’s, back to the memories

Saturday was Harbaugh’s first time coaching at Levi’s Stadium since his chaotic 2014 farewell. It’s been 11 years since his “mutual parting” with the 49ers, but for a few moments, it felt like yesterday. He hugged Frank Gore, chatted with Patrick Willis, and watched Trey Lance — calm, efficient, maybe even reborn — guide the Chargers’ offense.

Harbaugh wouldn’t quite confirm it, but Lance has almost certainly won the backup quarterback job behind Justin Herbert. And Harbaugh, who took a chance on Lance after two rough stops in San Francisco and Dallas, seems quietly thrilled.

“Twenty-five years old — just in life that’s the fat part of the bat,” Harbaugh said. “For a quarterback, that’s the fat part of the bat. I like the skill set. I like the player. And just having a chance to talk to him and get to know him. He just wants to get good at football. And that’s all I want him to do.”

Lance, who went 5-of-8 for 39 yards in three series, looked calm and measured. He sounded the same afterward. “It’s a fun place to be, a joyful place to be,” he said. “Learning from Justin’s been great. Nothing but great things to say. I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have been with three great organizations, and I’m really enjoying my time here.”

Healing old wounds

The nostalgia was impossible to ignore. Harbaugh, who once departed Levi’s amid tension with ownership, is now on good terms with Jed York and the 49ers front office. That reconciliation started when Harbaugh attended the 10-year reunion of the 2012 Super Bowl team, and now it’s fully thawed.

“We’ve had a lot of good conversations,” Harbaugh said. “Jed’s been great. The York family. Sat next to John at the owners’ meetings. It was good seeing Kyle here. With [Chargers owner] John Spanos, Jed gave me a really good recommendation to this Spanos family when I got this job. It’s all good. I love being [with the Chargers]. If you’re wondering how I’m doing, I’m doing A-plus. A-plus-plus.”

Frank Gore, now a 49ers personnel advisor, summed it up with a smile: “That’s my guy, man. Harbaugh’s one of the best coaches I played for. When he got here, we were the laughingstock of the NFL. First year, we went to the NFC Championship. Everywhere he goes, he wins. It’s more than just football, me and Harbaugh.”

A life of winning — and looking forward

Harbaugh has plenty to keep him busy. He led Michigan to a national championship in 2023, jumped to the Chargers, and made the playoffs in his first year. Despite losing star tackle Rashawn Slater for the season, the roster looks strong, and expectations are high.

But Saturday was about more than the future. Harbaugh admitted that even he — famously forward-looking, famously restless — felt a little tug of nostalgia.

“Just tremendous memories,” he said. “Great times. Great people. It’s been a lot of years, but it’s a lot of days, you know? Every day you’re on to the next. But … for one that’s not real nostalgic, there’s some nostalgia there. For sure. Because they were such good times. So good.”

For a coach who once vetoed Levi’s plan to stick the home sideline in the blazing sun — “Oh, humility prevents me from saying that,” he joked when reminded — Saturday night was a return, a reminder, and a reassurance.

Jim Harbaugh has moved on. But for a few hours at Levi’s, the memories, and the smiles, came rushing back.

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The Three Biggest Concerns Facing the 49ers After Preseason

San Francisco, CA – The preseason is often the time for NFL teams to identify their strengths and weaknesses before the grind of the regular season begins. For the San Francisco 49ers, that process has revealed more concerns than they might have hoped for. While the team remains one of the most talented rosters in the league, three major issues have emerged from training camp and preseason action: the mounting injury list, the lack of impact from young players, and the inconsistency of kicker Jake Moody.

1. A Growing Injury Crisis

The 49ers entered training camp already managing lingering injuries from last season. What initially seemed like manageable concerns has since spiraled into a constant wave of new setbacks. Each day seems to bring another player sidelined, forcing coaches to reshuffle depth charts and experiment with unfamiliar lineups.

The wide receiver room has been hit particularly hard, with the injury list growing too long to even track in full. As a result, the 49ers are reportedly considering external options such as Robbie Chosen and Skyy Moore to reinforce the position ahead of Week 1.

The issues aren’t isolated to receivers. Both safeties have dealt with injuries, backup edge rushers are nursing various ailments, and even the interior defensive line has seen frequent turnover due to health problems. In short, there is hardly a position group untouched by injuries.

The question looming over the 49ers is clear: how many injuries can this roster sustain and still be expected to contend for a Super Bowl? While the organization is known for its depth, the sheer volume of injuries could derail early-season momentum if the trend continues.

2. Lack of Youth Development

Equally concerning is the team’s struggle to integrate contributions from its younger players. With quarterback Brock Purdy still on a team-friendly rookie deal, San Francisco has a critical opportunity to balance its cap space by leaning on recent draft picks. But the anticipated youth movement has stalled.

Malik Mustapha’s injury is part of the story, but even healthy players have underperformed. Renardo Green has looked shaky in camp, and Dominick Puni is dealing with an injury that could sideline him for Week 1. The 49ers were forced to trade future draft assets because they lacked confidence in Isaac Guerendo, while Jacob Cowing also landed on the injury report.

The list of disappointments continues. Mykel Williams and Upton Stout were expected to step into roles immediately but haven’t practiced in weeks. Alfred Collins has underwhelmed throughout camp, and Nick Martin has shown inconsistency. Add the injuries to Jordan James and Jordan Watkins, and the narrative becomes clear: the pipeline of young talent has not delivered the reinforcements San Francisco desperately needs.

If the younger players can’t develop quickly, the burden falls back onto the veterans, raising questions about sustainability over a long and grueling season. For a team with championship aspirations, relying too heavily on aging stars could prove costly down the stretch.

3. The Jake Moody Question

The third concern is perhaps the most frustrating for both coaches and fans: the kicker position. After a disappointing 2024 season, the 49ers were expected to bring competition for Jake Moody in training camp. Instead, injuries limited their ability to sign or evaluate another kicker, leaving Moody as the unquestioned starter by default.

Unfortunately, the results have not inspired confidence. Moody already missed an extra point during the preseason, and reports suggest he has struggled throughout camp with consistency. In a league where close games often hinge on special teams, unreliable kicking can be the difference between a first-round bye and a wild card spot—or even between advancing in January or going home early.

The 49ers’ decision not to push harder for competition at the kicker position could come back to haunt them. As fans remember all too well, playoff games are often decided by razor-thin margins. If Moody doesn’t improve, this could become one of the season’s defining weaknesses.

Final Thoughts

The San Francisco 49ers remain a powerhouse team with plenty of strengths to lean on: an elite defense when healthy, a dynamic offensive system, and a proven coaching staff. Yet the preseason has surfaced three troubling questions. Can the team survive its relentless wave of injuries? Will its young players rise to the occasion or continue to disappoint? And can Jake Moody become a reliable kicker, or will special teams undo their championship ambitions?

Head coach Kyle Shanahan has downplayed the concerns publicly, but his recent comments have left fans uneasy. “We’ve got to get healthy, and we’ve got to see guys step up,” he admitted, acknowledging that the margin for error is slim.