How Jim Harbaugh's text exchange with Jason Sudeikis inspired ‘Ted Lasso' gameday attire
Among the ways to describe Jim Harbaugh: Los Angeles Chargers coach, championship-winning college football coach, passionate, quirky, Michigan Man. And now … gameday fashion expert?
Four years ago, actor and 'Ted Lasso' star Jason Sudeikis revealed on 'Late Night With Seth Meyers' that he confided in Harbaugh to craft his character's gameday wardrobe. At the time, Sudeikis mentioned Harbaugh told him he keeps it simple: khakis and a sweatshirt. But it turns out Harbaugh's response was plenty more detailed than that.
Advertisement
This week, Sudeikis revisited that text exchange with Harbaugh in an appearance at the Men in Blazers' 'One Year To Glory' event earlier this week, which signaled the one-year countdown to the 2026 World Cup. Sudeikis said he and Harbaugh texted on Sept. 4, 2019, when 'Ted Lasso' filming was beginning.
'Writing 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, I think,' Sudieikis wrote in the text with a shrug emoji before asking Harbaugh his routine for gameday attire. What does he wear to and from the stadium? And for post-game interviews?
'I wear the same clothes every day, khakis and a blue sweatshirt,' Harbaugh's response began. 'Will wear the same thing to post interviews and then home as well. No shower unless it's really hot or really cold outside or raining. In that case, our equipment manager has a duplicate pair of everything I wear in my locker, so I put that on to wear back on the plane or home. And always a new pair of socks and different underwear. There's always a locker with extra layers for cold games, plus long johns. That's the routine for road games and home games. I pack a playbook, 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.'
Harbaugh continued by describing how other coaches might pack a bag and perhaps change from a suit to coaching gear once they get to the stadium. Some keep their coaching gear on after, others change clothes
'I don't see the point in getting all dressed up to ride the bus or walk into a stadium, but most coaches, many pro players want to look sharp for the brief camera shot coming off the bus and into the stadium,' Harbaugh wrote. 'Hope that helps, more than happy to do so.'
Jason Sudeikis reads his full text exchange with NFL coach Jim Harbaugh on proper coaching attire. A tale of khakis, toothbrushes, extra underwear and emojis 🤷🏻♂️✌️🩲 pic.twitter.com/qPdaFKHhSB
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) June 12, 2025
Might as well add 'detail oriented' to Harbaugh's signature qualities.
Harbaugh, who also appeared at the Los Angeles event, later discussed how the coaching mentality of Ted Lasso in the series reminded him of the way his father, Jack Harbaugh, approached the profession. Jack was the head coach of Western Michigan from 1982-86 and Western Kentucky from 1989-2002, leading the Hilltoppers to the 2002 Division I-AA Football Championship title. In 2023, he came out of retirement to work as an assistant coach with Jim's Michigan Wolverines, which won the College Football Playoff championship that year.
Advertisement
'(Ted Lasso) said one time … 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 really stuck,' Jim Harbaugh said.
'I want to be that kind of coach, that kind of leader which encourages rather than discourages. When you really think about it, when you're encouraging somebody, you're giving them confidence and you're giving them courage, which is far better than discouraging them, which leads them to be less courageous and less confident.'
The Emmy Award-winning 'Ted Lasso' is a comedy series that follows an American soccer coach at a fictional English Premier League club, AFC Richmond. The show will return for a fourth season with Lasso coaching a women's team, as Sudeikis explained on an episode of the 'New Heights' podcast, hosted by Jason and Travis Kelce. The release date for the fourth season has not been announced.
(Photo of Jim Harbaugh: Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
ESPN's Windhorst: Rockets ‘definitely still in race' for Kevin Durant trade
The Miami Heat and Houston Rockets appear to be the only two NBA teams who are both on Kevin Durant's list of desired destinations and actively engaged with the Phoenix Suns to get such a deal done. And between those two, longtime league insider Brian Windhorst thinks it's Houston that could be the most compelling basketball fit. While the terms of a potential deal remain unknown, financial analysis from Rockets Wire suggests a package headlined by Jalen Green or a combination of Dillon Brooks and either Jabari Smith Jr. or Reed Sheppard as the most likely starting point. Advertisement Draft equity and further matching salaries would likely be a component, as well. Phoenix is reportedly underwhelmed by the current offer, though negotiations are ongoing. In a Wednesday appearance on ESPN's Get Up, Windhorst offered this update: I think he's got Miami on there because he's attracted by the city and Pat Riley. It's certainly not the team. So, let's put them aside. Let's look at Houston and San Antonio. He would be the No. 1 offensive option on those two teams. I don't know about best player, and I don't know if that's what he's looking for at age 37. But he certainly would join those two teams and make them way more dynamic offensively. Particularly Houston, who is an elite defensive team that had difficulty getting isolation and individual scoring. He certainly believes, by looking at those two teams, that he can be a very high-level member of a contending team. So, I'm going to listen to what he says there. That's why I think Houston especially has got their eyebrow up. I'm not sure they're willing to pay a massive price for a 37-year-old when most of the rest of their team is in its early-to-mid 20s, but I think Houston should definitely be considered still in this race. Especially if Minnesota doesn't close. Potential trade suitors not on that preferred-destination list (such as the Timberwolves, who Windhorst identified) are reportedly not bidding aggressively without a change in the All-Star forward's stance. Since Durant's current contract expires after next season, his choice to sign (or not sign) an extension carries significant weight in these talks, since many teams won't risk surrendering significant asset capital if they might lose him as an unrestricted free agent a year later. Advertisement With that in mind, it appears that could make the Rockets and Heat frontrunners for Durant's services, assuming the Suns remain committed to trading him. A deal is reportedly possible at any time. To Windhorst's point, Houston finished 52-30 and No. 2 in the Western Conference last season, while Miami went 37-45 in the East. Thus, from a purely short-term basketball perspective, the Rockets would seemingly give Durant a better opportunity to compete at the highest level over whatever remains of his prime NBA years. More: Report: Rockets have 'firm offer' to trade for Kevin Durant, but Suns are underwhelmed This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: ESPN's Windhorst: Rockets 'definitely still in race' for Kevin Durant
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Arizona Republic: Rockets ‘ideal trade destination' for Kevin Durant
The Houston Rockets are the 'ideal landing spot' in a trade for Phoenix star Kevin Durant, an NBA source told Suns beat writer Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. 'A league source informed The Republic the Rockets would be the ideal landing spot for Durant, saying they need a 'go-to guy' in the fourth quarter and have draft picks and young players to offer the Suns in return,' Rankin writes. Advertisement The story continues: Rockets coach Ime Udoka has a relationship with Durant. Udoka was an assistant in Brooklyn in the 2020-21 season when Durant was with the Nets. Durant is also close friends with Rockets assistant Royal Ivey. They both played at the University of Texas and were teammates at Oklahoma City. Confirming recent reports, Rankin notes that a Durant trade is expected to take place in the coming days. Among many ties to Houston and the state of Texas, Durant is also linked to Jeff Green, who played with the Rockets in each of the previous two seasons. For four seasons at the start of their NBA careers, Durant and Green were teammates in Seattle and Oklahoma City. More: Shams: Rockets, Heat, Timberwolves leading Kevin Durant trade pursuit This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Arizona Republic: Rockets 'ideal trade destination' for Kevin Durant
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Report: Rockets have ‘firm offer' to trade for Kevin Durant, but Suns are underwhelmed
The Rockets continue to have a 'firm offer' to trade for Suns star Kevin Durant, but Phoenix continues to be underwhelmed with Houston's current valuation of the All-Star forward, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic. There has yet to be a clear indication of what that offer specifically entails, though Rockets Wire explored the financial possibilities last week. According to The Athletic's Iko, Sam Amick, and Jon Krawczynski, the Suns are also relatively uninspired by their options involving the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat — the other two teams on Durant's list of preferred destinations. Advertisement Reports have indicated that the Timberwolves could perhaps bid closer to the Suns' liking, with established players such as Rudy Gobert and Donte DiVincenzo a part of the package. But, to no surprise, The Athletic's report indicates that Minnesota 'does not want to make a seismic change to a roster that advanced to the Western Conference finals, if Durant is not on board with the move.' With Durant having only one season left on his current contract, surrendering significant value in a trade for a player who is unwilling to extend and could leave for no compensation in 2026 free agency would be very risky. So, in effect, it's a standoff. The Suns are waiting out Durant, in hopes that he eventually expands his list of desired teams. Durant and the Rockets (and perhaps the Spurs and Heat, as well) are waiting out the Suns, in hopes that Phoenix eventually accepts a lower offer. Time will tell as to which side wins out, but the first round of the 2025 NBA draft is next Wednesday, June 25 — and the Suns would undoubtedly prefer to have a deal finalized by that time so that they can make a selection, themselves, for any draft asset they might obtain. Advertisement Furthermore, with Durant turning 37 years old in September, there wouldn't seem to be much value upside to waiting — unless Phoenix is potentially open to rejecting all trade offers (if deemed unsatisfactory) and bringing Durant back into its fold for the 2025-26 season. To this point, there have been no indications of that being a viable scenario. So, for the time being, it seems both Durant and the Suns are waiting out the other. Teams such as the Rockets are awaiting the outcome. More: Arizona Republic: Rockets 'ideal trade destination' for Kevin Durant This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Report: Rockets have 'firm offer' to trade for Suns star Kevin Durant
