In the quiet aftermath of a preseason loss that will not appear in the final standings, Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh confronted something that troubles him far more than a score: the choice not to try. When punter JK Scott declined to attempt a tackle during an 83-yard return, Harbaugh saw not a failed effort but an absent one — a distinction that, for a coach who prizes commitment above almost all else, carries a weight that transcends any single play.
Harbaugh Rips Punter Scott for Not Attempting Tackle on 80-Yard Return
He's got to plan to make a tackle. We need to work on it.
Mark
What exactly did Scott do wrong here? He's a punter, not a linebacker.
Mimi
That's the thing—Harbaugh's point is that it doesn't matter. When you're the last line of defense, you have to try. Scott didn't attempt the tackle. He just let Cowing run past him.
Mark
But couldn't he have gotten hurt? Isn't that a legitimate concern for a specialist?
Mimi
Harbaugh was asked that directly. He said no, the team hadn't told Scott to avoid tackling. So the expectation is clear: you make the play if you can.
Mark
Did Scott explain himself afterward?
Mimi
He didn't talk to anyone. That silence is probably going to haunt him more than the play itself. People want to know what he was thinking.
Mark
Is this really about one missed tackle, or is it about something deeper?
Mimi
It's about effort and commitment. Harbaugh called it a "business decision"—meaning Scott chose not to engage. In football, that's a cardinal sin to a coach like Harbaugh.
Mark
What happens now?
Mimi
Scott's likely headed to tackle drills. He's the only punter on the roster, so he's not getting cut. But he's going to feel the pressure every time he steps on the field.
The Pulse
- An 83-yard punt return exposed not just a coverage breakdown, but a moment of visible disengagement from a player who had a clear chance to act and didn't.
- Harbaugh confirmed the team had issued no instruction to avoid tackling, making Scott's passivity a personal choice rather than a coached decision — and that distinction matters enormously.
- The punt itself compounded the frustration: Harbaugh characterized it as short and poorly placed, spreading accountability across the entire special teams unit rather than isolating one man's hesitation.
- Scott, the team's only rostered punter, faces a precarious position — job security offers no shelter when a coach publicly signals that tackle drills and heightened scrutiny are coming.
- His silence after the game left the story unresolved, the question of intent hanging open: self-preservation, distraction, or a misread of his own responsibilities on the field.
In the quiet aftermath of a preseason loss that will not appear in the final standings, Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh confronted something that troubles him far more than a score: the choice not to try. When punter JK Scott declined to attempt a tackle during an 83-yard return, Harbaugh saw not a failed effort but an absent one — a distinction that, for a coach who prizes commitment above almost all else, carries a weight that transcends any single play.
Jim Harbaugh left Thursday night's preseason loss to San Francisco already frustrated. Then someone asked about the 83-yard punt return, and his mood darkened further.
The issue wasn't that JK Scott had been beaten. It was that Scott hadn't tried. When the returner fielded the ball and moved upfield, Scott had a clear lane to make a tackle. He chose not to engage. Harbaugh confirmed afterward that no instruction had been given to avoid contact — this was Scott's own decision. "He's got to plan, when he's in that position, to make a tackle," Harbaugh said, his tone controlled but unmistakably pointed. "We need to work on it, coach it up."
The frustration was layered. The punt itself had traveled 52 yards, which should have given the coverage unit time to recover. But Harbaugh publicly characterized it as short and poorly placed, suggesting the blame extended beyond one player's hesitation to a broader special teams failure.
Scott, who ranked 10th in the NFL last season with a 47.8-yard average, did not speak to reporters after the game. The Chargers carry only one punter on their roster, so he is not easily replaced — but Harbaugh made clear that roster security does not excuse quitting on a play. Scott should expect tackle drills and close scrutiny in the days ahead, a signal that in Harbaugh's program, position is no exemption from the expectation of full effort.
Jim Harbaugh walked out of the Los Angeles Chargers' preseason loss to San Francisco on Thursday night already frustrated. The game itself had been a blowout—the kind of result that stings but ultimately doesn't count in the standings. Then someone asked him about the 83-yard punt return Jacob Cowing had taken against his team, and Harbaugh's mood darkened further.
The problem wasn't that JK Scott, the Chargers' punter, had been beaten on the play. It wasn't a matter of effort meeting resistance and coming up short. Scott simply hadn't tried. When Cowing fielded the punt and began running upfield, Scott had a clear opportunity to make a tackle. He chose not to. He quit on the play.
Harbaugh was asked after the game whether the team had instructed Scott to avoid tackling attempts to prevent injury—a reasonable question given how unusual it would be for a coach to tolerate such passivity. The answer was no. "He's got to plan, when he's in that position, to make a tackle," Harbaugh said, his words clipped and controlled. "So, we need to work on it, coach it up." The message was unmistakable: this was unacceptable, and it would be addressed.
What made the moment even more frustrating for Harbaugh was that Scott had actually outkicked his coverage on the play. The punt traveled 52 yards, which should have given the coverage unit time to get downfield. Instead, the Chargers were outflanked. But Harbaugh's public assessment was harsher: the punt was short and placed in the middle of the field, a characterization that suggested he was assigning blame across the entire special teams unit, not just the decision to avoid the tackle.
Scott, who finished last season ranked 10th in the NFL with a 47.8-yard punt average, did not speak to reporters after the game. He may have been avoiding the inevitable questions, or he may simply have been overlooked in the postgame chaos. Either way, his silence left the narrative open: what had he been thinking when Cowing approached? Was it a conscious choice to protect himself? A lapse in focus? A misunderstanding of his responsibilities?
The Chargers operate with only one punter on their roster, which means Scott is not easily replaceable. But Harbaugh's response made clear that job security doesn't excuse quitting on a play. The coach's tone suggested that Scott should prepare for more scrutiny in the coming days—and likely for inclusion in tackle drills at practice, a prospect that would underscore just how seriously the organization takes the expectation that every player, regardless of position, must be willing to engage in the fundamentals of defense when the opportunity presents itself.
Notable Quotes
He's got to plan, when he's in that position, to make a tackle. So, we need to work on it, coach it up.— Jim Harbaugh, Chargers coach
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