Harbaugh interviews with Falcons for coaching vacancy after talking with Chargers

ATLANTA >> Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons for their head coaching vacancy today, his second interview in two days.

The Falcons announced the interview with Harbaugh, who is exploring a return to the NFL after leading Michigan to the national championship. The Los Angeles Chargers announced Monday that Harbaugh had interviewed for their head coaching vacancy.

Harbaugh was the San Francisco 49ers’ coach from 2011-14 before nine seasons at Michigan.

The Falcons offered no details about the interview with Harbaugh.

Harbaugh is the second high-profile candidate to talk with the Falcons this week, following the team’s interview with Bill Belichick on Monday. Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl winning coach in his 24 seasons with New England, made the Falcons his first known interview since leaving the Patriots.

The 60-year-old Harbaugh has an 89-25 record in nine seasons at Michigan, his alma mater. He was 44-19-1 in four seasons with the 49ers, including a trip to the Super Bowl after the 2012 season. He also had winning records at Stanford and the University of San Diego.

Including the playoffs, Belichick has 333 victories, second all-time to Hall of Famer Don Shula’s 347. He led the Patriots to 17 division titles.

Before conducting the interviews with Belichick and Harbaugh, the Falcons held virtual interviews with five candidates, only one of whom has head coaching experience.

The candidates to interview virtually with the Falcons are Baltimore Ravens assistant head coach and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, Carolina defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Cincinnati offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, San Francisco defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and Baltimore defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.

Interviews with employees of other clubs must be conducted virtually before the end of the divisional playoff games on Sunday. There are no such limitations on teams conducting interviews with candidates like Belichick who are no longer employed by other teams.