Report: Jim Harbaugh will jump to the NFL, if he gets an offer

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A year ago, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh was ready to become the head coach of the Vikings. This year, Harbaugh reported is ready to become the head coach of any NFL team that wants him.

TheAthletic.com, citing “multiple sources” close to Harbaugh, reports that they expect Harbaugh to leave Michigan for the NFL, if he is offered a head-coaching job.

“I think it is a done deal if he gets an offer,” a source close to Harbaugh told TheAthletic.com.

The Broncos have already reached out to Harbaugh to express interest in speaking with him, as reported last night on NBC’s Football Night in America. That’s a long way from getting an offer, however..

There’s no indication the Colts or the Panthers have reached out to Harbaugh. He played for the Colts, and is in their Ring of Honor.

Although the report from TheAthletic.com indicates any NFL head-coaching job, certain factors would potentially turn him off. Bad ownership and/or a bad G.M. would make a job less attractive.

If his only offer comes from a team with dysfunction at the top of the front office, would he take the leap of faith, hopeful that he could will the situation into something workable? Maybe he would.

And, yes, Harbaugh said last year that he’s done pursuing NFL jobs. He also has made it clear that he regards not winning a Super Bowl as “unfinished business.” And there’s only one way to finish that bit of business.

63 responses to “Report: Jim Harbaugh will jump to the NFL, if he gets an offer

  1. Any offer he gets should be contingent on not bringing his current defensive coordinator with him.

  2. Maybe he can take John spot he would already have his defense coordinator in place

  3. Harbaugh is 2-7 in bowl games. Has lost the last 6 in a row. Michigan beats up on patsies (look at that early season schedule). Effectively plays a 1 or 2 game schedule (this year it was Penn State and OSU). If they somehow get through that they get beat in a bowl.

    Smart NFL owners would pass this up

  4. Say what you want about Harbaugh, but he turns around teams everywhere he goes. He was done dirty by the Niners. I hope he gets another shot as an NFL head coach.

  5. This article makes it appear as if Harbaugh is desperate and will take the first offer.

    Getting an ‘offer’, doesn’t mean just any offer. Probably the highest bidder with keys to all decisions with a franchise QB or draft to get one.

  6. longsufferinglionsfan says:
    January 2, 2023 at 2:54 pm
    Can’t wait to taste the delicious wolverqueen tears when he does

    ————

    Seriously funny comment. “Wolverqueen”

  7. Woody Johnson should be on the phone asap. We know he doesn’t care though. Jets will target the next “hot” coordinator next offseason.

  8. He is a pro coach.

    For the same reasons that Urban failed in the NFL, he is better placed in the NFL.

    Would love to see him with the Jets but my guess is it will be either Miami or Indy, can’t see him in Denver. Washington might be a wild card but with the ownership issue unsettled prolly unlikely.

  9. Didn’t “sources close to Harbaugh” claim last year that his return to Michigan on a new deal required him to commit for a number of years??

  10. Best Offensive line in college football, and instead of running it down TCU’s throat inside the 2 yard line Harbaugh calls the Philly Special. Talk about setting the tone for the game…brilliant call Jim!

  11. I definitely could see the union between he and the Colts, that team is a QB away from a legit contender

  12. He is not his brother – he is not half the coach as his brother is. His last game proves it a- his time in the NFL last time proves it. He is typical of the NFL owners and their hiring practices – too much on name and insider recognition and not enough on what they may bring to the table.

  13. Why would Harbaugh (or any really good coach) want to go to Indy? That’s a horrible team with no QB and a goofy owner–and you know Irsay isn’t going to give Harbaugh a free hand to do whatever he wants. Harbaugh should wait until the perfect situation comes along before jumping to the NFL.

  14. College football is a mess NIL – I would jump to the NFL in a heartbeat if the offer was decent.

  15. “He’s done pursuing” NFL, but will entertain those coming to him………………….
    How precious.

  16. Knowing what a moron Stephen Ross is, he will fire Mcdaniel and go after Harbaugh. He’s wanted Harbaugh for the last 10 years and won’t let a fellow Michigan man go to another team. And then Tua will have to start all over again with a new system.

  17. Michigan won’t miss his tires act that’s for sure!!

    He can’t get it done against quality opponents when it counts the most. He’s perfect for a team like the Cowboys or Vikings who ALWAYS find a way to choke in the clutch

  18. The Philly Special against TCU should disqualify Harbaugh…especially when the QB went right and telegraphed it with his “disarray” act

  19. Broncos: Richest owners in the NFL and operations already taken from the GM and ready for the new coach. Wilson will either improve next year or be gone. The cap hit is manageable after 2023 and the coach will have his 1st and 2nd round picks back. $100 million stadium renovation committed to. Solid defense and DC in place (after a full season of horrible offense, the players did give up on the Rams, but the rest of the season they were top 5 in scoring.) And best of all, your opponents will be sucking oxygen in the thin air by the 2nd quarter of every game!

  20. There are 13 players in the Colt’s Ring of Honor, including Harbaugh and he wasn’t anywhere close to the other players level. How in the world did he get that honor?

  21. He’s a good coach. He gives you a chance to win. Lots of good coaches don’t win, like Bud Grant or Marv Levy or Marty Schottenheimer. But in a tournament, there’s only so much a coach can control. I’d hire a coach who gives me a chance to win any time.

  22. No coach worth his salt should entertain an offer from the Colts. You’d never know when your erratic boss would fire you and hire a friend with zero acumen for the gig.

  23. allgasnobrakes says:
    January 2, 2023 at 2:50 pm
    Harbaugh is 2-7 in bowl games. Has lost the last 6 in a row. Michigan beats up on patsies (look at that early season schedule). Effectively plays a 1 or 2 game schedule (this year it was Penn State and OSU). If they somehow get through that they get beat in a bowl.

    Smart NFL owners would pass this up

    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    You do realize this is every college coach right. 1 or 2 tough games evey year. Bet your some loser PAC 12 fan who cries about not getting in CFP

  24. donbat67 says:
    January 2, 2023 at 4:10 pm
    Big 10 can’t hang with the big boys .

    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Funny considering they have a better record in bowl games this year then the SEC. But keep talking smack Billy Joe Bob

  25. “He couldn’t win in Michigan. Why would he win in the NFL.“ uh didn’t Jim Harbaugh take the 49ers and the now not in the league Kaepernick to a Super Bowl?

  26. Andy Reid has gotten 11 coaching staffs fired since joining the Chiefs. Ironically, most of those guys were hired with promising the ability to beat Reid. I’d avoid the AFC West!

  27. Harbaugh is good at speaking out of both sides of his mouth.
    Money and control are the deciding factors.

  28. Jim Harbaugh is just one of those people that are great at the beginning but they eventually wear out their welcome.

  29. If Jim Irsay has any brains left he’ll hire Harbaugh and promise to stay out of the way and let Jim do his job. With that said… Harbaugh should stay at Michigan and keep building it up. The field turf isn’t greener on the other side.

  30. Arizona needs to bring him to the desert. I’d rather bring in Harbaugh than Payton.

  31. Lots of people criticizing Harbaugh as a coach, but the guy went to 3 NFC Championships and a Super Bowl in 4 years with the 49ers. As a Cardinals fan, sign me up for that, I won’t have any trouble at all putting up with the baggage he brings.

  32. He’s still pretty young. He should stick it out in Michigan (he’s getting paid 6+ million a year through 2026) and try to snag a title. He’d only be 63 at the end of his current Michigan contract.

  33. Mr. Snyder on line 2. There is no way a team with Harbaugh, Howell, McLaurin, Dotson, Samuel, Robinson, Young, Allen, and Sweat doesn’t make it to the Super Bowl. They would be freaking unstoppable.

  34. jurgyisgod says:
    January 2, 2023 at 9:12 pm
    Mr. Snyder on line 2. There is no way a team with Harbaugh, Howell, McLaurin, Dotson, Samuel, Robinson, Young, Allen, and Sweat doesn’t make it to the Super Bowl. They would be freaking unstoppable.
    ————
    I counter your great players with a one word answer: Wentz.

  35. I don’t know, Harbaugh did a great job creating the image that Michigan was a top 4 team but like almost all Big Ten teams they are pretenders.

  36. Gotta laugh at the clowns here who say Harbaugh “can’t win.” How many of THEIR teams have won over 12 games two years in a row? 13 and 1 seems like a rather good record to me this year, in spite of the way our Defense didn’t show up against a damn good TCU team. My God some people are really out of touch with reality. We beat our biggest rivalries two years in a row, played in the championship series two years in a row, and if Corum comes back we’ll do it THREE years in a row. AND he took the 49ers to the Superbowl. That’s not “winning?” LOL. What morons….

  37. He will want to go to Denver so first ballot HOF QB Russell Wilson can teach him how to be a winner.

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