Rumors have been constantly swirling around Jim Harbaugh and the Raiders’ head coaching position. While most of the reporting and speculation to date has been centered on owner Mark Davis working to convince Harbaugh to return to the NFL, not much has been said with respect to the latter’s interest in the position. 
According to a report from Bruce Feldman of the Athletic, the presumption that the current Michigan HC is the favorite to take over in Las Vegas is certainly warranted from both perspectives. As he writes, there are “multiple sources” inside the school’s program who “think [that] if Harbaugh is offered the Raiders’ head coaching job, he’d take it”.
The 58-year-old’s ties to the franchise date back to 2002, the start of his NFL coaching career. It was then, during his tenure as the team’s QB coach, that a longstanding friendship with Davis began. Feldman also notes that Harbaugh “has family ties to Las Vegas, which is where he met his wife”. Those were some of the factors that made him an early favorite for the HC position, before the Raiders even began conducting interviews.
Recent developments have also pointed towards Harbaugh ultimately being hired. GM Mike Mayock was let go on Monday; one of the effects of that decision is, according to many, an increased likelihood that interim HC Rick Bisaccia won’t return despite his ability to settle down a turbulent season and help guide the team to the playoffs. It has been reported for weeks, of course, that Davis has his sights set on Harbaugh, and has all along. A departure from Bisaccia would only open the door further to Harbaugh being brought in.
Two things are important to keep in mind with this situation. Firstly, Bisaccia interviewed for the full-time HC gig on Wednesday, so he does still have a chance to be retained. Secondly, as Feldman warns, “Harbaugh can be hard to read”. Taking that point into consideration, along with the fact that the Wolverines just had their best season of Harbaugh’s tenure (defeating Ohio State en route to a CFP semifinal appearance), leaves open the possibility that Michigan could try to keep him in place with a new contract.
Ultimately, though, this latest news seems to be another signal that a second head coaching role is in the cards for the former Super Bowl runner-up.
Weird to see that he’s 58. If he’s going to get back to the NFL he shouldn’t wait to much longer
Bruce Arians is like, 70. It’s not that weird.
He wants the Giants job
Nobody wants the Giants job(s).
LOL…no one wants that job and this is coming from a Chicago Bears fan. John Mara is , if anything , more clueless than Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey and that’s pretty sad.
lmao Mara may be clueless, but he has two Super Bowls in 16 years. McCaskey has two winning seasons since he took over in 2011.
And there are tons and tons of guys who would take the Giants HC job. Some of you people are delusional. A head coaching job is a goal of assistants and coordinators in the league and they’d take any they could get their hands on.
He does not want the Giants job
Lol what? Why would he go there with a incomplete offense and little on defense. Raiders have a lot more to offer . They were a playoffs team
Harbaugh wants total control – thus it was necessary that Mayock be fired. As for Rick Bisaccia, hiring the substitute teacher is a ticket to mediocrity – at best.
You are correct. Some people were saying Mayock and Harbaugh were “buddies”, I don’t think so . Mark Davis will offer Harbaugh the head coaching job and then ask him who does he want for the Raiders to hire as GM
I truly believe this is an opportunity for the Raiders to finally get something right. Gruden has a lot of faults, but it never appeared that he lost the team. I will assume that means this team can handle hard coaching from an intense personality. Harbaugh should deliver plenty of that without the whimsical, head scratching personnel decisions. This seems like a perfect fit for a coach looking to redeem his reputation in the league and a team that needs a long awaited injection of substance over style.
As a Michigan fan, please take him.
Las Vegas is absolutely the last place people think of when they hear the phrase “substance over style”. Davis and Harbaugh are a perfect match of two personalities that always consider themselves the smartest guy in the room.
Harbaugh is one of the last guys who bring ‘substance over style’ to mind.
Lol bring em back, sooo the RAVENS my fav team can team em AGAIN in the playoffs. And he can go home again….but this is all he wants is power. He will never be like his brother and win.
Give him what he wants…In SF he developed the most talented & deepest team in the NFL.Salary Cap and injuries brought it crashing down but believe me he certainly develops players and his team played hard and fast.I know this because I’m a lifetime Ram fan and I had to respect him.