Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh created quite a stir Tuesday when he wore a Julio Jones jersey to a satellite camp at South Alabama University. Creg Stephenson of AL.com snapped a photo of it here:
Jim Harbaugh & South Alabama @CoachJoeyJones at South Alabama camp. pic.twitter.com/lPeYi12n8b
— Creg Stephenson (@CregStephenson) June 7, 2016
Some thought it was a swipe at Alabama coach Nick Saban, considering Harbaugh and Saban have differing opinions on satellite camps. And remember, Jones played for Saban at Alabama.
But as Harbaugh told the media at South Alabama, there was another reason he wore the (tucked-in) Jones jersey.
"I've always had a ton of respect for Julio Jones," Harbaugh said in this video on Scout.com. "When I was with the San Francisco 49ers, we were hoping to draft Julio. Always have had tremendous respect for him, competed against him. ... I'm just a big fan of a lot of pe0ple. And I'm a jersey guy. I like jerseys."
Harbaugh was in his first year as coach of the 49ers in 2011 when the Falcons drafted Jones with the sixth overall pick after trading up. San Francisco selected Aldon Smith immediately after with the seventh pick.
This isn't the first time Harbaugh has worn a professional athlete's jersey to a satellite camp, and it probably won't be the last. When he came to Atlanta, he showed off a Hank Aaron Atlanta Braves throwback jersey. Then, in Indianapolis, the former Stanford coach and Colts quarterback dusted off his Andrew Luck No. 12.
Falcons fans need not fret. Don't expect to see Jones in a Michigan Wolverines jersey any time soon.