Jim Harbaugh Speaks on Sherrone Moore’s Firing and Arrest: “It’s a Tragedy”
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is still trying to process the stunning fall of his former colleague and one-time successor at Michigan, Sherrone Moore. Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show Tuesday, Harbaugh opened up about Moore’s recent firing and arrest, calling it “a tragedy” and “the worst days of his life.”
Harbaugh revealed that he reached out to Moore after the news broke, offering a message of support during what has clearly become an incredibly dark chapter in Moore’s life. “Keep it together and take care of your family,” Harbaugh said was the core of his message.
When asked how he personally was dealing with the news, Harbaugh admitted, “I still don’t have my head wrapped around it, Dan. … I’m praying for all concerned.”
Moore, 39, was fired by Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel after the university determined he had engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a female staff member. That decision came after the school received an anonymous tip, which initially turned up no evidence. But according to a source familiar with the situation, new information surfaced within a 24-hour window that led to Moore’s dismissal.
Things escalated quickly from there.
Later that same day, Moore was arrested by Pittsfield Township Police after officers were called to the home of the female staff member involved. Police also visited Moore’s residence and Schembechler Hall - Michigan’s football facility - before locating and detaining him in Saline, just outside Ann Arbor. The arrest was part of an ongoing assault investigation.
Moore was arraigned on Friday and is now facing charges of third-degree home invasion (a felony), as well as misdemeanor charges of breaking and entering and stalking. According to prosecutors, Moore went to the woman’s home after she disclosed the relationship to university investigators.
There, he allegedly made a series of disturbing threats, including comments about suicide, telling the woman: “I’m going to kill myself. I’m going to make you watch.
My blood is on your hands. You ruined my life.”
Following the incident, police tracked Moore’s phone to a church parking lot in Saline, where he was detained at approximately 5:16 p.m. ET. Before being taken to jail, Moore was transported to a hospital for evaluation.
As part of his bond conditions, Moore must wear a GPS tether and continue receiving mental health treatment. If convicted, the charges could carry a sentence of up to six years in jail.
At the arraignment, prosecutor Kati Rezmierski stated that Moore and the female staffer had been in a long-term intimate relationship. After the woman ended things on December 8, Moore allegedly began a pattern of unwanted communication - repeated calls and texts - that ultimately led her to report the relationship to the university. Michigan had already been conducting an investigation through the outside law firm Jenner & Block.
Moore’s attorney, Joseph Simon, declined to comment on his client’s mental state, saying he had not yet reviewed the police report.
This marks a stunning and abrupt end to Moore’s head coaching tenure at Michigan - a tenure that began with promise but was ultimately overshadowed by controversy and unmet expectations.
Moore had been a steady presence on Jim Harbaugh’s staff from 2018 through 2023, working his way up the ladder before taking over the program following Harbaugh’s departure to the NFL. That handoff came in the wake of Michigan’s 2023 national championship and amid the fallout from the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal.
Moore’s first season at the helm started rocky - a 4-3 opening stretch that matched Michigan’s total losses from the previous three seasons combined. But just when the season looked lost, the Wolverines bounced back. They stunned Ohio State with a 13-10 win in Columbus and landed a massive recruiting win by securing a commitment from Bryce Underwood, the top quarterback prospect in the Class of 2025.
Still, the momentum didn’t hold. Michigan’s 2025 campaign fell short of expectations.
A Week 2 loss at Oklahoma raised early questions, and a midseason blowout loss to USC made it clear that the Wolverines weren’t national contenders. Moore’s final game - a 27-9 loss to Ohio State - snapped a four-game win streak in The Game and sealed the end of his run.
The Stalions saga continued to cast a long shadow. Moore served a two-game suspension this season for deleting text messages exchanged with Stalions and was slated to miss the 2026 season opener as well.
Now, with his coaching future in jeopardy and legal proceedings ahead, Moore’s story has taken a dramatic and deeply troubling turn - one that leaves his former mentor, Jim Harbaugh, and many in the college football world grappling with disbelief and concern.
As Harbaugh said plainly, “I’m praying for all concerned.”