Back in the day, current San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh coached at the University of San Diego and developed a strong bond with his quarterback, Josh Johnson. From 2004 to 2006, the duo pieced together a program that went 29-6 and won back-to-back Pioneer League Championships. Both have gone their separate ways since that time, but the two will face off against each other this Sunday when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the 49ers.
Harbaugh certainly remembers the strong relationship tha the two shared and even refers to Johnson as his "beloved son," according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Johnson, likewise, speaks fondly of his former coach as he continues to make his journey in the NFL.
The two will be on opposite sides of the field on Sunday, but that could change in the future. The 49ers have been plagued at the quarterback position for years, though Alex Smith has led San Francisco to an impressive 3-1 season so far this season. Johnson is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this year and could potentially find his way to the 49ers.
The move would allow two minds that know each other very well to reconnect, which in turn could reap huge benefits on the field and in the huddle. Before we get too ahead of ourselves, though, we must acknowledge that a huge determinant in this will be how the 49ers fare this year and how quarterbacks Smith and Colin Kaepernick develop.
For now, it's a long shot. But the Harbaugh-Johnson dynamic provides another interesting sub-plot to an already interesting match-up of 3-1 teams.