4 Sean McDermott replacements Bills can hire to get Chiefs monkey off their back
1. Bills can hire Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh is probably the most coveted head coach candidate on the market. He is being considered for both of the top jobs currently — the Los Angeles Chargers and Atlanta Falcons. If the Bills move fast, there's still time to mount a serious campaign to land the Michigan head coach.
There's always risk when poaching head coaches from the college ranks, but Harbaugh has been successful in the NFL before. He made it to the Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers back in 2013, eventually losing to his brother, John, and the Baltimore Ravens. That was a bitter pill to swallow, no doubt, but Harbaugh has reached the mountaintop in Ann Arbor. The only laurel he is missing is that elusive Super Bowl ring.
It would take a lot to pry Harbaugh away from the comfort and stability of his job at Michigan. Even with ongoing NCAA sanctions against the program, Harbaugh essentially has free reign over the Wolverines' program until his retirement, if he so chooses. There is no way to guarantee the same stability in the NFL, where few coaches make it a decade with their organization. Harbaugh has to be confident in his abilities at this point, however, and he has earned a long leash. He will get significant investment from any NFL team that manages to lure him away from Ann Arbor.
The Chargers are no guarantee to hire Harbaugh and the Falcons appear dead set on Bill Belichick. So, the Harbaugh market runs the risk of going dormant unless Buffalo acts quickly. The Bills would immediately represent Harbaugh's clearest path to Super Bowl contention. The Bills have a superstar QB in place, not to mention a strong collection of playmakers on both sides of the football.
A return to Michigan is probably the most likely outcome for Harbaugh, but the Bills should throw their hat in the ring. He has experience getting to the big game. Maybe with Allen as his QB, Harbaugh can finally win the big game.
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