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Six weeks after the Super Bowl win, John Harbaugh and his brother, Jim, spent some quality time together in Arizona. The NFL owner’s meetings were in Scottsdale at the Biltmore Hotel and the boys brought their wives and kids to the resort three days early for a weekend of March sunshine and family fun. In addition to John and Jim, allegedly two grownups, doing juvenile things on the water slide, they included their children in the hijinks. There were no injuries. And apparently no hard feelings over the outcome in New Orleans as a little bit of time had soothed some of the thoughts of the postgame handshake where John told Jim, “I love you” and was captured on NFL Films after the game saying to his father, Jack, “How’s Jim doing?”
In reality, they both realized that nobody had it better than them.
And, who knows, maybe they’d just do what they did the previous year or two and at least give the other NFL head coaches a run for their money in January come playoff time. They’ve been to the Super Bowl together once. Why not try to do it again? They both figure to be head coaches in the NFL for many more years.
At the annual meetings, commissioner Roger Goodell hosts a cocktail function for all 32 owners, coaches and personnel staff and their families on Monday night.
Ozzie Newsome has employed or worked with nearly half the room so there were some hearty toasts and congratulations on his big win in New Orleans.
John Harbaugh saw Bill Belichick in the courtyard and approached him to say hello and exchange pleasantries. Harbaugh has never forgotten the late-night call that Belichick made to Bisciotti and reminded him. “Hey Bill, I never would’ve gotten the job if you didn’t do that and I know you didn’t have to so I just wanted to say ‘Thanks,’ again,” Harbaugh said with sincerity.
“Yeah, I should probably be sorry that I ever did that,” Belichick deadpanned.
Later at the same cocktail function, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin tracked down Harbaugh, apologized for any handshake misunderstandings from December, and insisted that he join his family and some friends in the Three Rivers area of the Biltmore for some good cheer.
Tomlin made two trips to fetch beverages and brought back a toast, forcing everyone at the table to stand for a message:
“To John Harbaugh and the World Champion Baltimore Ravens…congratulations!” Tomlin said. “And, we’ll see you twice next year!”
