Michigan Football Rumors: Jim Harbaugh Weighs Record-Breaking Contract

The apparently unending source of Michigan football rumors is Jim Harbaugh

Although it would be a record commitment for a college football player, Jim Harbaugh, the head coach of the top-ranked Wolverines, is reportedly sitting on a ten-year, $125 million contract. With that annual salary of $12.5 million, he would become the highest-paid college coach ever.

Nick Saban of Alabama currently holds the record for the highest deal in terms of annual salary, making $11.4 million.

According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, a contingency in the Harbaugh deal is what’s now slowing down the process. The conditions of Harbaugh’s current agreement would prohibit him from accepting an NFL coaching position until at least 2024.

“There is a caveat, and it’s NFL-related,” Rapoport wrote on Sunday. “If he signed the deal — which he has not yet done – Jim Harbaugh would agree not to entertain or accept an NFL job for the 2024 season. The NFL clause would be one season only, but that’s apparently been enough to drag out the process.”

Michigan Football Rumors: Jim Harbaugh Eyeing NFL

That would be difficult for Harbaugh to accept given that he has long sought to validate his career by returning to the NFL after he had a successful run with the 49ers from 2011-15. The 49ers went to a Super Bowl and an NFC championship game in Harbaugh’s short tenure, which ended with a bizarre mutual parting of ways that Harbaugh later claimed was not really mutual.

Harbaugh Took Over Michigan Shortly Thereafter

In each of the last two seasons, Harbaugh has actively sought employment in the NFL. In 2022, the Vikings interviewed him, and this year, prior to Sean Payton’s hiring, he had an interview with the Broncos. He would be considered for several NFL positions if he want employment, chief among them being the Los Angeles Chargers, who would allow him to mentor rising quarterback Justin Herbert.

Would Harbaugh quit as head coach of Michigan football while leading the top team in the standings? Ten days ago, Jason LaCanfora of the Washington Post revealed that Harbaugh’s long-term commitment to UM is still hampered by the NFL.

Canfora wrote, quoting an unnamed GM. “The NFL community isn’t really buying an end to Jim Harbaugh’s ideas about the NFL, despite all the hype recently regarding him maybe close to signing a new contract with the University of Michigan. The general manager stated, “He wants back in the NFL, bad.” In the end, he’ll probably return to Ann Arbor, but don’t disregard his aspirations to play in the NFL.

Wolverines are Nearing Violations

Don’t write off those speculations about Michigan football. One of the problems Harbaugh has had is the NCAA’s inconsistent rulings regarding infractions; Harbaugh was punished for three games due to an ambiguous sign-stealing incident.He is facing more sanctions, too, related to his recruiting ativities during what was supposed to be a dead time during Covid-19.

Bouncing to the NFL would conveniently allow him to wash his hands of the “baggage” that comes with his repeated NCAA reprimands. That is the thinking of longtime college football analyst Paul Finebaum.

He’s still an intriguing figure in my opinion. Finebaum remarked, “I don’t think we’ve had many players like him in college football.” “Over the past year, I’ve had a few interactions and a few near-misses, but I don’t know him very well. In a world that is evolving, he is a bit of a dinosaur. Like many others, I’ll be shocked if he’s still there when Michigan’s season concludes since he has too much baggage.

Veteran sports writer Sean Deveney works for Heavy.com, covering the NBA and NFL. With over 20 years of NBA coverage experience, including 17 years as the lead NBA correspondent for Sporting News, he has been writing for Heavy since 2019.Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney