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Jim Harbaugh Says Brother John Harbaugh Is Tops Among NFL Coaches With ‘Full Grasp’ of All Parts of Game

Jim Harbaugh has done pretty well for himself in the NFL, going 24-7-1 and making it to the NFC Championship Game in both of his years as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

But when it comes to comparing himself to older brother John Harbaugh, who is 54-26 with three AFC Championship Game visits over five years with the Ravens, Jim won’t concede that he’s in the same class. In fact, Jim sounds like he thinks John may be the best there is right now.

With both brothers eyeing a trip to the Super Bowl as they prepare for this weekend’s championship games, Jim was full of compliments for his older brother.

“I’m half the coach he is,” Jim told CSNBayArea.com. “… I don’t think there’s any coach coaching in the game today that really has the full grasp of offense, defense and special teams like my brother has.”

It’s not the first time Jim has praised John, who has spent more time in the coaching ranks of the two (while Jim had a longer athletic career). Jim had kind words for his older brother in a 2010 Sports Illustrated profile, as Jim was starting to make the transition from coaching in college to leading a team in the NFL. The pecking order appears to remain the same.

Now, two years later, both have a second chance at winning their way into a matchup with each other. Jim’s road goes through the Atlanta Falcons, who had never won a playoff game under Mike Smith until this past weekend. John, meanwhile, has to face the Patriots and Bill Belichick.

Belichick is a guy whose name usually gets tossed around when people are talking about the best coaches in the NFL — no matter what one younger brother thinks.