Poor Jim Harbaugh. All he wanted to do was show his support for quarterback Alex Smith when he told reporters the San Francisco 49ers were never really interested in Peyton Manning.
The intention was good, but his understanding of how this volunteered info would go over was miscalculated. Us media types had a field day with the comments, and apparently we're not alone.
According to PFT, Harbaugh's comments have become a "running joke" in league circles.
We're sure this idea doesn't sit well with Harbaugh, who doesn't seem like the type of guy who would appreciate people poking fun at him behind his back.
But ultimately this mess was Harbaugh's creation, a misguided attempt at burying a story that was already six feet underground. Now that it's come alive, "The Walking Dead" style, Harbaugh's best bet is to never bring the topic up again.
We're sure Smith and everyone else in the organization would be grateful.