Amid chatter (which may or may not be gobble, gobble, gobble, turkey from jive-turkey gobblers) that the University of Texas covets 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, a league source tells PFT that the 49ers don’t believe that Harbaugh has any interest in leaving.
The 49ers, we’re told, have a strong interest in keeping Harbaugh over the long haul. The 49ers plan to extend Harbaugh’s contract after the current season.
Harbaugh currently is signed through 2015.
Of course, it takes two to make a contract thing go right. Mike Silver of NFL Network reported earlier today that the 49ers and Harbaugh tried to strike a deal on an extension after the 2012 season, but that talks broke off because Harbaugh didn’t like the numbers.
We’ve also had heard that Jim Harbaugh had some strong opinions about his brother’s new contract, lobbying that John hold out for more than roughly $7 million per year on his deal in Baltimore.
On one hand, it’s admirable that Jim Harbaugh is all in with the 49ers. On the other hand, it could be useful to flirt with other possibilities in order to maximize what he’ll make from the Niners.