From Khakis to Kindness: How the Chargers Head Coach Helped Shape Ted Lasso’s Iconic Persona
Among the many ways to describe Jim Harbaugh — Michigan national champion, quarterback whisperer, passionate competitor, and now head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. It may be time to add another line to the résumé: gameday fashion and mindset inspiration for one of television’s most beloved characters. That character, of course, is none other than Ted Lasso, played by actor and comedian Jason Sudeikis in the hit Apple TV series. As it turns out, Harbaugh didn’t just inspire Lasso’s look. He helped craft the entire vibe.
In 2019, while Sudeikis was filming the early episodes of Ted Lasso in England, he reached out to Harbaugh to learn more about his routine — not just what he wore, but how he approached game days as a coach. The idea was simple: capture the authenticity of a head coach in every frame of Lasso’s character. At the Men in Blazers “One Year To Glory” event this week, Sudeikis revisited the text exchange from September 4, 2019. “Writing to you from jolly old England … as we’re in the middle of filming episode two of that ‘Ted Lasso’ show I’m doing for Apple, so far so good.” Sudeikis texted. “What’s your game day routine—what do you wear to and from the stadium? Post-game?”
Harbaugh’s response? True to form — humble, hilarious, and meticulously detailed. “I wear the same clothes every day: khakis and a blue sweatshirt,” Harbaugh replied. “I wear the same thing to post interviews and then home as well. No shower unless it’s hot, cold, or raining. In that case, our equipment manager has a duplicate pair of everything I wear in my locker, so I put that on for the flight or ride home, and always a new pair of socks and different underwear. I pack a playbook, a call sheet, one extra underwear, one extra pair of socks, and a toothbrush. Wear the rest of what I need. As I like to say: I pack a toothbrush and a great attitude.”
Sudeikis said Harbaugh’s description was instrumental in shaping both Ted Lasso’s understated look and his relentless optimism, a trait Harbaugh learned from his father, legendary coach Jack Harbaugh. “I want to be that kind of coach,” Jim Harbaugh said at the same event. “One who encourages rather than discourages. When you’re encouraging somebody, you’re giving them confidence and courage. Discouraging does the opposite — and we should never aim for that.” Harbaugh went on to recall one of his favorite Ted Lasso lines: “He judges success not by wins and losses but by making the fellas the best version of themselves on and off the field. That one stuck.”
The parallels between Lasso and Harbaugh aren’t just in khakis or motivational quotes. Like Lasso, Harbaugh has built a reputation for turning programs around, connecting deeply with players, and creating culture. From Stanford to San Francisco, Michigan to Los Angeles — the Harbaugh imprint is always felt. While Ted Lasso may be heading into a new season coaching a women’s team, Harbaugh will be busy in his new chapter — leading the Chargers in what he hopes is a Super Bowl-caliber turnaround. For those who thought Harbaugh simply borrowed from Lasso’s optimism, here’s the truth: the influence runs the other way. The khakis. The calm. The confidence. Ted Lasso didn’t just look like Harbaugh — he was, in part, built on Harbaugh. So next time you see Lasso flash a smile and say “Believe,” know that somewhere, Jim Harbaugh is packing his toothbrush — and his great attitude — ready for game day.
