Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh vows to raise baby if player has unwanted pregnancy

Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh had social media abuzz with his remarks during an anti-abortion event last week where he was the guest speaker. The former NFL coach has since doubled down on his stance on ESPN, saying that he and his wife will “raise the baby” if family members, players or staff should a have an unwanted pregnancy.

During a Right to Life event in Plymouth, Michigan on July 17 that both Harbaugh and his wife Sarah attended, the Wolverines coach told the audience why he’s “pro-life.”

“In God’s plan, each unborn human truly has a future filled with potential, talent, dreams and love,” Harbaugh said according to multiple outlets including Sports Illustrated. “I have living proof in my family, my children, and the many thousands that I’ve coached that the unborn are amazing gifts from God to make this world a better place. To me, the right choice is to have the courage to let the unborn be born.”

During an interview with ESPN’s Gene Wojciechowski on Saturday, July 23, Harbaugh elaborated on his comments.

“I’ve told [them] the same thing I tell my kids, boys, the girls, same thing I tell our players, our staff members,” the college football coach said to ESPN. “I encourage them if they have a pregnancy that wasn’t planned, to go through with it, go through with it. Let that unborn child be born, and if at that time, you don’t feel like you can care for it, you don’t have the means or the wherewithal, then Sarah and I will take that baby.”

He continued when asked about his part in the rally.

“Faith, family, football ... those are my priorities. I just think that ... the abortion issue is one that’s so big that it needs to be talked about. It needs serious conversation. What do you think? What do I think? What do others think?

“It’s a life-or-death type of issue. And I believe in, and I respect, people’s views. But let’s hear them. Let’s discuss them because there’s passion on both sides of this issue. So when you combine that with respect, that’s when the best results come. ... [I’m] just contributing to that conversation and that communication, which I think is really important, in my opinion.”

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade — the landmark decision that gave people the constitutional right to have an abortion — on June 24, those in states with trigger bans have been forced to face delays or even rejection when it comes to reproductive care, The Guardian reported. One such instance was a 10-year-old rape victim who was forced to travel from Ohio, a state whose trigger law went into immediate effect following the SCOTUS ruling, to Indiana for an abortion.

In Michigan, abortion is legal, though restricted.

Those on social media responded with mixed emotions on both sides of the spectrum.

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