Jim Harbaugh

Latest On Broncos’ HC Search

January 3rd, 2023 at 10:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Barring the team needing to move to second-tier candidates, it does not appear the Broncos’ new ownership contingent wants to put a first-timer in charge. The team continues to be connected to experienced candidates, Albert Breer of SI.com notes.

Denver tried rookie HCs Vance Joseph, Vic Fangio and Nathaniel Hackett since 2017; the team has finished under .500 in each campaign. The Broncos entered Joseph’s debut without having finished with back-to-back losing seasons since the early 1970s. The team’s new ownership has some big names on its docket to attempt a turnaround.

Jim Harbaugh and Sean Payton are indeed atop the Broncos’ wish list, according to 9News’ Mike Klis. The popular duo may receive more than one offer, and this disastrous season has dinged Denver’s stock. The team has been connected to each throughout this process, and it is moving forward with plans to interview Harbaugh. The Panthers have already spoken with the Michigan HC, however, and the Colts have been linked to a run at bringing the former QB back to Indianapolis. Pursuits of Harbaugh and Payton will be competitive, and both are likely to be choosey.

Should the Rob Walton-fronted ownership group not land its home run hire, Klis adds Dan Quinn should probably be considered next on the team’s list. Quinn has a longstanding relationship with GM George Paton, dating back to when the two worked with the Dolphins in the mid-2000s. The Dallas DC, however, was a finalist for the Denver job last year. It would be interesting to see if Quinn would go through another round of Broncos interviews, considering the team hired Hackett — now one of just three coaches since the 1970 merger to be fired before the end of their first season — over him.

The other name initially connected to the Broncos — Frank Reich — may not be in the running any longer, Klis adds. This would represent a quick trigger from the team’s new search committee, which is headed by CEO Greg Penner, considering interviews have not yet begun. Reich wants to be a head coach in 2023 and is a respected offensive mind, but he does not appear to be especially high on the Broncos’ early list. It will be interesting to see if this changes, depending on how the Harbaugh and/or Payton pursuits go.

The next Broncos HC, who will report directly to Penner, should be expected to be given full autonomy to assemble his staff. This would put Ejiro Evero on unsteady terrain. A holdover coordinator might be a tad unrealistic, but in the event the Broncos prioritize defensive continuity, Klis adds Evero’s contract runs beyond 2022. Paton said the team wishes to interview Evero, despite his close relationship with Hackett leading him to turn down the team’s offer.

Panthers, Jim Harbaugh Discuss HC Job

January 3rd, 2023 at 3:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Add a third team to the Jim Harbaugh mix. The Panthers have Harbaugh on their radar and have spoken with the Michigan head coach about their HC position, Will Kunkel of Charlotte Sports Live reports.

The Panthers have not yet interviewed Harbaugh about the job, per ESPN.com’s David Newton (on Twitter), but David Tepper spoke with the former 49ers HC. Harbaugh has also been connected to the Colts and Broncos, with the latter intending to follow through with an interview.

It appears clear Harbaugh, who was on the fringes of NFL coaching searches for years prior to his Vikings interview in 2022, will have a firm seat on this year’s carousel. A report Monday linked Harbaugh to having genuine NFL interest, with a competitive offer likely to lead him out of Ann Arbor.

Steve Wilks‘ status has been a frequent talking point since the Panthers started to fare a bit better post-Matt Rhule, but Carolina blew a 14-point lead against Tampa Bay that led to the Buccaneers sealing the NFC South title. Hired as the Panthers’ secondary coach this year, Wilks saw his position group — one without Jaycee Horn — go through a brutal day against Tampa Bay. Tom Brady scorched the Panthers for 432 passing yards, finding Mike Evans for three deep touchdowns. Considering no interim coach has been promoted to the full-time role since 2017, it is now difficult to see the Panthers going with Wilks.

Carolina may have competition for Harbaugh, with new Broncos owner Rob Walton boasting far deeper pockets than the NFL’s second-wealthiest owner. Tepper, who bought the Panthers in 2018, used his financial resources to give Rhule a seven-year, $62MM deal — one that backfired. Both teams have been loosely linked to Sean Payton, but only a small buyout fee will be required to land Harbaugh. The Saints will require compensation for a Payton poaching. This will be Tepper’s second HC hire. The Panthers must interview two external minority candidates to satisfy the Rooney Rule requirement.

Harbaugh, 59, coached in the NFL for just four seasons — from 2011-14 — but enjoyed tremendous success during that period. His .695 NFL win percentage ranks sixth all time. Harbaugh has established a reputation as a coach capable of orchestrating turnaround efforts. The 49ers went from 6-10 to 13-3 in his first season, and Alex Smith became a viable starter for most of the 2010s after Harbaugh helped provide a springboard. Michigan went 5-7 in 2014; the Wolverines won 10 games the next two seasons and made back-to-back CFP appearances from 2021-22. The Panthers have not made the playoffs since Tepper’s arrival.

Michigan’s loss to TCU — the program’s second straight semifinal defeat — may be catalyzing the latest run of Harbaugh-to-NFL rumors. In December, Harbaugh announced intentions to stay in Ann Arbor for a ninth season. It now appears the fiery coach, who has spoken of unfinished business in the NFL, will explore opportunities for a pro return. It would be interesting to see Tepper go back to the college ranks for a hire, but Harbaugh’s profile differs from Rhule’s due to his San Francisco past.

Jim Harbaugh Expected To Pursue NFL Jobs?

January 2nd, 2023 at 7:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Jim Harbaugh-to-NFL rumors are standard fare in January, there looks to be a bit more smoke surrounding the longtime Michigan HC’s connections to a pro return this year. The Broncos are believed to be interested, and Harbaugh appears more receptive to a jump.

If Harbaugh receives an offer, it is believed he will leave Michigan for the NFL, according to The Athletic. Of course, it would need to be a highly competitive offer that makes Harbaugh one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches, but after Michigan’s CFP semifinal loss to TCU, rumors surrounding the Wolverines’ nine-year HC will be on tap. This latest round of Harbaugh buzz comes less than a month after he said he would stay at Michigan for a ninth season.

Harbaugh, 59, met with the Vikings last year but was not offered the position. The Raiders were also connected to Harbaugh, but he ended up signing a new contract with Michigan. Time is running out for Harbaugh to chase an NFL job. The former quarterback would be among the league’s oldest HCs were he to jump back in, and February will mark 10 years since he matched up with brother John in Super Bowl XLVII. Not too many coaches have returned to the league after this long away.

NFL teams are taking the temperature on Harbaugh’s interest, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com offers (video link). Like Jon Gruden in 2018, Harbaugh will be a high-profile candidate. He looks to have at least two known suitors. The Broncos, who have missed on first-time head coaches since Gary Kubiak‘s exit, appear to be interested. They are believed to be prioritizing experience and want to interview the Michigan honcho. The Colts have been connected as well.

Harbaugh’s Michigan contract includes just a $3MM buyout this year, per The Athletic. While the Wolverines can fire Harbaugh for cause if he goes through NFL interviews without informing the school’s athletic director, that seems unlikely to happen. Following the TCU loss, Harbaugh is 74-25 at his alma mater. The Wolverines, who had six- and seven-loss seasons in the two years before Harbaugh’s hire, have won the Big Ten in each of the past two years.

The Broncos are prepared to be “ultra aggressive” to land their preferred head coach. Their new ownership, which was not in place when Nathaniel Hackett was hired, has the league’s deepest pockets — by a wide margin — and hiring Harbaugh would not cost the team draft assets like a Sean Payton move would. The Colts, who rostered Harbaugh from 1994-97 after signing him in the early days of free agency, are also in need of coaching stability.

Both Denver and Indianapolis are retaining their current GMs — George Paton, Chris Ballard — so it would be interesting to see how Harbaugh would fit with an inherited GM. Clashes with Trent Baalke helped lead Harbaugh out of San Francisco. Denver’s next head coach, however, will report directly to Penner. Harbaugh only coached the 49ers for six years, but his .695 NFL win percentage is sixth in NFL history.

Broncos Interested In Interviewing Jim Harbaugh For HC Vacancy

January 1st, 2023 at 9:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jim Harbaugh continues to garner plenty of attention in the build-up to the 2023 NFL head coaching cycle. Not long after a connection between he and the Broncos was reported, the two are set to be linked even further.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that Denver has reached out to Harbaugh to confirm their intent to interview him for their vacancy. The role opened up after rookie bench boss Nathaniel Hackett was fired with just two games remaining in the season, one in which the Broncos have fallen well short of expectations. A number of experienced names have been floated as potential replacements, with the widespread expectation that a veteran coach will get the job.

Harbaugh has been included amongst those potential candidates, alongside the likes of Frank Reich and Dan Quinn. The current Michigan coach has ties with Broncos consultant John Elway as well as minority owner Condoleezza Rice dating back to their time spent at Stanford. Harbaugh was first mentioned in connection to the Broncos HC role just prior to Hackett’s dismissal, so their formal interest comes as no surprise.

Harbaugh has been included in speculation about the Colts’ opening, given his time spent with the team as a player and his relationship with owner Jim Irsay. The Broncos’ desire to at least interview the 59-year-old adds further to the interest shown in him this season, suggesting a return to the NFL could be in the cards. Harbaugh last coached the 49ers in 2014.

That tenure was immediately followed by his stint in Ann Arbor, which continues to this day. Harbaugh led the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff for the second straight season this year, a sign of the program’s recent success. That positive momentum was halted yesterday during Michigan’s upset loss to TCU, but it nevertheless came as little surprise when Harbaugh announced his commitment to remain with the school in 2023.

Still, he has mentioned his sense of ‘unfinished business’ with respect to winning a Super Bowl, and a relatively small buyout would be required to terminate his Michigan contract. Given the spending power of the Broncos’ new ownership group, finances will not be an issue if they are serious in seeing through Harbaugh’s potential return to an NFL sideline.

Broncos HC Fallout: Penner, Paton, Payton, Hackett, Evero, Rosburg, Rypien, Risner

December 28th, 2022 at 3:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

George Paton‘s status with the Broncos has taken some hits this week. Although the second-year GM is set to remain in his post, it appears the decisions to hire Nathaniel Hackett and trade for Russell Wilson have cost him.

New Broncos CEO Greg Penner is set to play a major role in the team’s next HC hire, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. With the Broncos still in the process of putting the team up for sale when they conducted the search that produced Hackett, Paton led the hiring process. Penner said he will rely on Paton during the team’s latest hiring effort, but with it being the new ownership’s first HC search, it should be expected the GM will not have final say.

Paton’s situation reminds somewhat of Joe Douglas‘ with the Jets, though the former has not been on the job as long. Douglas has rebuilt the Jets’ defense to the point the team is a playoff contender, and this year’s draft class has helped the team considerably. But the Zach Wilson investment has gone south fast. Paton passed on Justin Fields for burgeoning star cornerback Patrick Surtain II and landed high-end starters Javonte Williams and Quinn Meinerz in Rounds 2 and 3, while also adding outside linebacker Baron Browning on Day 2 of last year’s draft. Denver collected first- and fourth-round picks for Bradley Chubb at this year’s deadline, helping to fill the draft-capital void created by the Wilson trade. While several of Paton’s moves have worked out, the Wilson-Hackett partnership undercut them and has the former Vikings lieutenant on thinner ice.

It is not known if Paton or ownership pushed to have Wilson signed long-term before this season. Conversations ramped up once Penner arrived along with Rob Walton, and the team wanted to avoid waiting until 2023 to extend the QB. But the five-year, $245MM extension is off to a shockingly poor start. Penner announcing that the next HC will report to him and not Paton strips the latter’s power to the point Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk posits the next Broncos coach will have the chance to run the football operation. Paton, 52, has held that role since arriving last year.

The Broncos have experienced ups and downs with a coach running the show, going from Mike Shanahan in this role to the overmatched Josh McDaniels, who held de facto GM power upon being hired in 2009. Considering new ownership’s deep pockets and a potential offer to run football operations, the Broncos would present an intriguing opportunity for an experienced head coach. That is believed to be the direction Denver heads this time, after seeing first-time hires Vance Joseph, Vic Fangio and Hackett underwhelm.

“I’ve worked with a lot of great CEOs, and it starts with really strong leadership,” Penner said. “I think that’s going to be the most critical factor here in a head coach. Obviously the X’s and O’s are important, but we need a strong leader for this organization that’s focused on winning. That starts with culture, it’s instilling a sense of accountability, discipline, and we need an identity on offense. At the starting point, it’s got to be about culture and leadership, and those characteristics are what we’ve focused on the most.”

Frank Reich, Jim Harbaugh, Dan Quinn and Sean Payton are believed to be on the early radar. The Broncos could make a strong run at Payton, Fowler adds, though it is not certain the former Saints HC is interested. Harbaugh has a relationship with Broncos consultant John Elway, who ran the team’s football ops for 10 years, and minority owner Condoleezza Rice due to each’s Stanford ties. Rice worked with Harbaugh during his time with the Cardinal, per Florio, adding an interesting wrinkle to the upcoming search.

As for the team’s current setup, interim HC Jerry Rosburg said (via 9News’ Mike Klis, on Twitter) DC Ejiro Evero declined the chance to be the interim option out of loyalty to Hackett. Evero and Hackett have been friends since they were college teammates at UC-Davis. The league has also shifted away from promoting interim coaches, with Doug Marrone being the most recent such hire back in 2017. The Broncos still want to interview Evero, though the first-time DC does not profile as an experienced candidate.

Rosburg, 67, also said (via ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold, on Twitter) it was his decision to fire special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes and offensive line coach Butch Barry. Both were Hackett hires. Rosburg also confirmed it was Paton, not Hackett, who brought him out of retirement to be the team’s game management assistant. Hackett’s run of issues during the season’s first two weeks led to the hire. The sideline confrontation between Brett Rypien and Dalton Risner also contributed to the early Hackett dismissal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link), as it was a sign the first-year coach was losing the team. Penner said off-field matters led to the early firing. Randy Gregory, who threw a punch at Rams offensive lineman Oday Aboushi and faced a suspension, cited Hackett’s tenuous status as HC in his successful appeal to the league, Klis tweets.

Broncos GM Believes Russell Wilson Is Fixable; Next HC To Report To Ownership

December 27th, 2022 at 3:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Broncos GM George Paton has seen a few members of his 2021 draft class become high-end starters, and the team’s Bradley Chubb trade at this year’s deadline netted a first-round pick. But Paton’s two biggest moves since taking the GM reins — hiring Nathaniel Hackett as head coach and trading for Russell Wilson — have moved him to a relatively hot seat.

Although Paton is staying on in the wake of Hackett joining a short list of HCs fired before the end of their first season (just five since the 1970 merger), new Broncos CEO Greg Penner said (via NFL.com) the next head coach will report directly to him. This effectively minimizes Paton’s power, and it should not be considered out of the question the Broncos will be looking for a new GM if the next head coach insists on it.

Paton, 52, was a sought-after GM candidate for years and was viewed as likely to stay on in Denver prior to Hackett’s ouster. But the Hackett-Wilson pairing ignited a stunningly ineffective offense, leading to Denver falling well short of expectations despite a stout defense. The Broncos rank last in scoring — down from 23rd with Teddy Bridgewater and OC Pat Shurmur at the controls last season — and chose to both bring in a game management assistant and move their QBs coach (Klint Kubiak) to the play-calling role. The next Denver HC will be tasked with repairing Wilson, something Paton believes can happen.

“We saw flashes of Russ this year. Russ even said he didn’t play up to his standard,” Paton said. “He will be the first one to tell you he didn’t play up to his standard, didn’t play up to our standard. He needs to be better.

“I don’t think we made a coaching move based on Russ. That wasn’t what it’s all about. That’s not why we’re getting a new coach, to turn around Russ, it’s about the entire organization. It’s about the entire football team. It’s just not one player. It’s not whether Russ is fixable or not. We do believe he is. We do.”

After making the blockbuster trade for the nine-time Pro Bowl passer, the Broncos gave him significant input in helping design the offense, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Broncos also allowed Wilson’s personal team unfettered access. Attempting for much of this season to play more from the pocket — a scenario some Seahawks staffers envisioned would take place as Wilson (fourth all time in QB rushing yards) aged — the 11th-year QB has produced by far his worst season. The potential Hall of Famer has played through injuries for much of the year and often lined up with a backup-laden offensive line and receiving corps. The Broncos have also been without Javonte Williams since October. But Wilson’s struggles to this degree (29th in QBR — a sharp decline from 10th in a down 2021 season) have been one of the most shocking developments in recent quarterback history.

The Broncos gave Wilson a five-year, $245MM extension in August, tying him to the team through the 2028 season. The team’s offensive freefall will certainly impact its next HC search. Paton, Penner, Rob Walton and minority owner Condoleezza Rice will work toward finding a staff that can coax better play from the current franchise centerpiece.

“The decision to have Russell here was a long-term one,” Penner said. “This season has not been up to his standards or expectations. We saw some glimpses of it in the last few weeks. He knows he can play better, we know he can play better, and we know he will do the right work in the offseason to be ready for next year.

“George and I have had a chance to get to know each other — we talk every day since we purchased the team a number of months ago — and he acknowledged right up front there were a couple of decisions that hadn’t worked out as he had expected. But I understand his thought process. He understands the work that needs to be done in this offseason, and I’m going to rely on him heavily as we go through and make these changes.”

The team offered the interim HC gig to DC Ejiro Evero, who declined, leading to Jerry Rosburg — whom the Broncos pulled out of retirement to address Hackett’s game management issues — taking the gig. But the team wants to interview Evero for the full-time position. While Evero may be in the mix, Mike Klis of 9News notes experience will likely be prioritized. Frank Reich, Dan Quinn, Jim Harbaugh and Sean Payton should be considered candidates, per Klis, and SI.com’s Albert Breer heard Harbaugh connections to Denver shortly before Hackett’s firing.

Payton will require trade compensation to land, as the Saints still hold his rights, and will be coveted by every team searching for a new coach. Reich said he hopes to coach again in 2023, while Quinn was a Broncos finalist this year. Paton added experience is a plus but not a requirement.

Harbaugh signed a new Michigan contract last year and recently reaffirmed his commitment to the Wolverines, but the ex-49ers HC has long lingered on the NFL fringe. The Vikings interviewed Harbaugh last year, and the Colts have now been linked to an attempt to bring him back to Indianapolis. Harbaugh, 59, has a relationship with John Elway, per Breer, dating back to the former’s time as Stanford’s HC. Elway is no longer in a regular role but works as a consultant; he had input in the Broncos’ process to trade for Wilson this year. Harbaugh’s 49ers stay did include some notable quarterback success stories. The fiery HC elevated Alex Smith‘s career in the early 2010s and redesigned his offense to suit the talents of Colin Kaepernick, leading to three straight NFC championship game appearances.

Coaches formerly with the Seahawks could be candidates as well, with CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson indicating options like Quinn and Dolphins QBs coach Darrell Bevell — a longtime Seahawks OC — have been brought up (Twitter links). The Broncos had success when pivoting to retreated head coaches John Fox and Gary Kubiak. While Peyton Manning had plenty to do with that, it appears the team will try to move in this direction after three straight first-timers — Hackett, Vic Fangio, Vance Joseph — could not end the now-seven-season playoff drought.

Jim Irsay Assures Colts GM Chris Ballard Will Return In 2023; Jim Harbaugh On HC Radar?

December 20th, 2022 at 10:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Several teams have disappointed this season, and the Colts are near the top of that list. They have gone from a team that led the NFL with seven Pro Bowlers last season to one with a 4-9-1 squad that just blew an NFL-record 33-point lead.

The Colts have already fired their head coach and offensive coordinator, promoting their assistant quarterbacks coach to call plays, and have made multiple quarterback changes. Jeff Saturday‘s showing in Minnesota likely will lead to him not being retained as Indianapolis’ full-time HC, and prior to the Vikings loss, Jim Irsay indicated he was looking forward to interviewing a host of HC candidates. But the second-generation Colts owner is still planning to keep Chris Ballard in place as GM.

“I think a lot of Chris,” Irsay said, via Zak Keefer of The Athletic (subscription required). “Young GMs make mistakes. He’s been up against it. The No. 1 component is he’s an outstanding talent evaluator. He has this [Bill] Polian-esque touch in the draft room. There have been some things … people don’t realize, you have to learn as a general manager. You just don’t get it overnight. I feel very confident in where we’re going.”

The directional confidence part is a bit strange to read, considering what has happened to the Colts over the past year, and it should be noted Irsay issued this Ballard support prior to the team’s 39-36 loss Saturday. But Irsay said upon hiring Saturday that he intended for Ballard to return next year. The Colts are 1-4 since those comments. Ballard, however, had attempted to talk Irsay out of the Saturday move. While Irsay has said it will be Ballard’s job to hire coaches, Keefer adds some around the league are convinced the owner will pursue Jim Harbaugh in 2023.

Long connected on the coaching carousel’s fringes, Harbaugh surfaced in a real way this year by interviewing with the Vikings. Harbaugh also recently announced he would stay at Michigan for a 10th season, but just before that pledge, NFL teams were doing homework on him. Some around the league wonder if Colts interest could change Harbaugh’s Ann Arbor plans, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. The former quarterback spent four years with the Colts, leading them to two playoff berths and an AFC championship game in the mid-1990s, and is in the team’s ring of honor. Harbaugh, who has led Michigan to back-to-back College Football Playoff berths, signed a new deal with his alma mater this year. Should Harbaugh truly be on Indy’s radar, Ballard’s personnel power could be at risk — at least compared to where it is now.

Ballard, 53, built what looked like one of the league’s top rosters — though, one without a long-term quarterback — and last year’s Pro Bowl count reinforced confidence the Colts sported a strong foundation. The Colts have extended Ballard draftees Shaquille Leonard, Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith. Two of Ballard’s Day 2 picks from 2020 — Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr. — will likely be on the extension radar soon as well. But the team has not truly climbed out of the hole Andrew Luck‘s sudden retirement left it in three years ago.

Irsay drove the trade of Carson Wentz to the Commanders and pushed Ballard to finalize the Matt Ryan swap. The latter move has not panned out for the Colts, and Irsay was behind the midseason QB switch that led to Sam Ehlinger rising from third-stringer to starter. It is safe to say this has been a rather chaotic year for the Colts, who returned all seven of those Pro Bowlers this season. Ballard has, however, been rather stingy in free agency since being hired in 2017. That has placed more pressure on his homegrown core.

Last year, Ballard and Reich signed extensions that run through 2026. The former returning in 2023 would mean considerable pressure to both aid Irsay on the team’s next HC hire and fix the quarterback position. Ballard’s last HC search did not go smoothly, with Josh McDaniels reneging on an agreement and Reich being the fallback hire. The next one not panning out would almost certainly lead to Irsay going GM shopping.

Jim Harbaugh Commits To Coaching Michigan In 2023

December 6th, 2022 at 9:55am CST by Adam La Rose

This past weekend, Jim Harbaugh‘s name came up once again with NFL teams looking into the Michigan head coach. That led to questions about a potential return to the NFL, but such a move will not take place for at least one more year.

“That time of the year type of speculation, but I think no man knows the future,” Harbaugh said, via ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren. “But I think that people that think we’ve done a good job and are pleased with the job that we’ve done here at Michigan, they’re going to be very happy to learn that we will be back enthusiastically coaching the Wolverines in 2023.”

The 58-year-old has been connected to a pro head coaching gig on numerous occasions since his final year with the 49ers in 2014. That held especially true when his Michigan teams previously failed to live up to expectations, but the Wolverines have now qualified for the College Football Playoffs for two consecutive seasons. This year’s success comes after Harbaugh signed a five-year, $36.7MM contract to remain at Michigan, but the possibility of an NFL offer still looms large.

The closest he came to an NFL return was this past winter, when he interviewed with the Vikings. After failing to land the job, Harbaugh informed the school that contemplating NFL gigs would not become a constant occurrence, and that he was happy to remain with the Wolverines. He has, on the other hand, let it be known that his run to the Super Bowl with the 49ers has left a feeling of “unfished business” at the NFL level.

After finishing the season with a perfect record, a second straight win over rivals Ohio State and earning the No. 2 seed for the CFP, Harbaugh and Michigan have a chance to win the national title this year. That could alter his intentions down the road, but for at least the near-term future, his situation will remain the same.

NFL Teams Doing Background Work On Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh

December 4th, 2022 at 11:15am CST by Rory Parks

University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh last coached in the NFL in 2014, when he served as the 49ers’ HC. Still, his name pops up in NFL coaching rumors every year, with many such rumors indicating that he remains open to a return to the professional ranks. On Sunday, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that multiple NFL clubs are doing background work on Harbaugh with an eye towards including him in their upcoming head coaching search.

Earlier this year, the Vikings interviewed Harbaugh for their head coaching post, which eventually went to Kevin O’Connell. Despite all of the reported interest in luring Harbaugh back to the NFL, that was the first time since he left San Francisco that he actually took a formal interview with a pro team. And, with the Wolverines having secured a 13-0 record in 2022 to go along with a Big Ten conference championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff for the second consecutive year, he appears to be on firm footing in Ann Arbor (which was not necessarily the case just two years ago).

In fact, after his Minnesota interview, the 58-year-old reportedly told Michigan president Warde Manuel he wants to stay at his alma mater as long as it wants him. He signed a new five-year, $36.7MM deal with the school shortly thereafter, a deal that features a number of incentives that he has earned due to the Wolverines’ 2022 success. However, as Rapoport himself reported at the time, the modest buyouts included in the contract will do little to deter NFL teams from trying to poach him.

Of course, there are a number of other factors for teams to consider before making such a splashy hire. While Harbaugh compiled a 44-19-1 record and an NFC Championship during his four years in San Francisco — along with two other appearances in the conference title game — he has a reputation of being difficult to work with. A report several years ago suggested that those within the 49ers organization considered him “toxic and unbearable,” and it is possible that he would want control over personnel decisions. That is to say nothing of his salary, and it is fair to expect that he would shoot for a deal at the top of the head coaching market, which is presently topped by Rams HC Sean McVay‘s $15MM-$18MM annual payouts.

The Broncos, Browns, Cardinals, Panthers, Texans, and Saints are among the teams that could have head coaching vacancies in a few weeks, and it’s unclear which, if any, of those teams have been looking into Harbaugh. It’s also unclear if Harbaugh would be interested in any of those opportunities.

Latest On Jim Harbaugh

February 18th, 2022 at 9:02pm CST by Ely Allen

After failing to receive an offer from the Vikings, Jim Harbaugh will remain at the University of Michigan. For now. Harbaugh agreed to a new $36.7MM deal to coach the Wolverines for the next five years, in theory. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, though, this extension does little to ensure a long marriage between the two parties involved.

For the most part, the contract is fairly standard. Harbaugh is set to make around $7.05MM in his first year, a raise of more than $3MM per year, with his salary gradually increasing until he reaches $7.63MM in 2026.

The deal is laced with incentives. Winning the Big Ten East earns Harbaugh $500,000. Winning the conference altogether nets Harbaugh $1MM. An appearance in a New Year’s Six bowl game or the College Football Playoff would gain Harbaugh bonuses of $200,000 and $500,000, respectively. A national title would pay out another $1MM to Harbaugh. He also has award incentives that would pay him $50,000 if he is named Big Ten Coach of the Year and $75,000 if he is named the winner of one of the national coach of the year awards.

Where Harbaugh’s contract differs from what is expected is in the buyout. In the first year, Harbaugh’s contract only lists a $3MM buyout, meaning if a team wanted to hire Harbaugh after next season, Michigan would only be due $3MM despite Harbaugh having four years and $29.65MM remaining on his contract. The buyout gradually decreases each year until, in the fourth and penultimate year of his contract, it totals less than $1MM.

This low buyout will do little to deter any teams eager to hire Harbaugh. It will do even less to keep Harbaugh from looking. It’s an ideal contract for the eighth-year Wolverines head coach. He nets a hefty raise for his accomplishments in the 2021 season, while ensuring an easy exit for the next NFL team that comes calling.

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