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Chargers Player Picking Up Major Will Ferrell Vibes From Jim Harbaugh

Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman can't help but think of Will Ferrell when he hears coach Jim Harbaugh speak.
Tim Capurso|
Apr 2, 2024; Costa Mesa, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh speaks at press conference
Apr 2, 2024; Costa Mesa, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh speaks at press conference | Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman can't help but think of actor and comedian Will Ferrell when he hears head coach Jim Harbaugh speak.

Perryman and the rest of his Chargers teammates are getting acclimated to Harbaugh running the show after he was hired by Los Angeles in January. And—at least according to Perryman—there are some noted similarities between the national championship-winning coach and the Emmy award-winning actor.

“My first impressions of Harbaugh, I hope I don’t get in trouble for this, but he reminds me of Will Ferrell,” Perryman said. “I don’t know if it’s the way that he talks, his analogies and everything, but they really remind me of Will Ferrell."

"It’s just funny to me. It’s funny, but I know he means well, like everything comes from the heart. I feel like you have to have a sense of humor to understand his lines and gimmicks. But I love it. I love him as a coach and I love the direction he’s got us going in.”

Perryman added that Harbaugh is "giving Will Ferrell vibes." While being compared to a comedian certainly isn't ideal for a football coach, Perryman made sure to clarify that he does take Harbaugh seriously.

And it's hard to argue with results, as Harbaugh has a .720 winning percentage as a college coach and a .695 mark in the NFL.

Plus, it's not all funny business in Los Angeles these days anyway. Harbaugh, according to NFL Network reporter Bridget Condon, cut the music at the Chargers first practice of OTAs.

Does that sound like something Ferrell would do?

In all seriousness, it sure sounds like Harbaugh is striking the perfect middle ground between lighthearted and intense.

The Chargers, who went 5-12 and finished in last place in the AFC West in 2023, hope it translates on the field in 2024.

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering MLB, college football and college basketball. Before joining SI in November 2023, Capurso worked at RotoBaller and ClutchPoints and is a graduate of Assumption University. When he's not working, he can be found at the gym, reading a book or enjoying a good hike. A resident of New York, Capurso openly wonders if the Giants will ever be a winning football team again.

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