Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh had to receive medical attention for a heart rhythm issue before Sunday’s 23-16 victory over the Denver Broncos.
Harbaugh said he experienced an ‘atrial flutter,’ also known as arrhythmia, but that his heartbeat returned to normal rhythm after he went to the locker room.
Harbaugh, 60, was dealing with the issue just prior to the contest and was examined in the medical tent on the sideline.
Then right after the game began, he walked off the field with team trainers and the club announced he left with an 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 into the blue medical tent before the Chargers kicked off Sunday
The 60-year-old coach was then walked 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 a 32-7 victory over the Chicago Bears.
‘I’ve had a couple of 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 versus the Chicago Bears and Colin had a great night.’
Harbaugh said he would see his cardiologist on Monday.
After saying, ‘I could tell there were some irregular beats,’ Harbaugh then joked, ‘I am medically qualified to talk about it.’
He then added he’s now ‘2-0 with arrhythmias.’
Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter served as head coach while Harbaugh was away.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said he had no idea Harbaugh left the field or was experiencing a heart issue.
Harbaugh revealed after the game in Denver that he suffered an ‘atrial flutter’ before kickoff
Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, the older brother of Jim, was pulled from his postgame press conference due to the situation.
The Chargers (3-2) looked for much of the afternoon as though they’d hand the Broncos (3-3) their first home shutout in their 65-year history.
But after two turnovers and five punts, Bo Nix directed 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.
Then, Courtland Sutton made a diving 15-yard touchdown grab with 5:22 remaining, but a failed two-point try left the double-digit deficit in place.
The Broncos reached the Chargers 32 on their next possession and Wil Lutz’s 40-yard field goal on first down made it 23-16 with 59 seconds left.
Their onside kick, however, failed and the Chargers salted away their first win over Denver in two years and their first against Sean Payton in seven tries.
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