USA TODAY Sports
After Sunday’s NFL games, the annual round of NFL musical chairs begins. And that will make many college coaches make the most of their circumstances, if only to improve current circumstances.
At the center of this year’s intrigue is ex-49ers and six-year-old Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. It supposedly had an extension in effect weeks ago, but it hasn’t been done yet. Now, as the NFL teams begin to hire new coaches, the issue has returned to the background.
Bruce Feldman of TheAthletic.com reports that “[t]on here is the optimism within Michigan that Jim Harbaughnew agreement it will be wrapped up soon with an extension until 2026. ”
Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports adds this tip: “Michigan presented Jim Harbaugh with a five-year contract extension earlier this week, by industry source. Harbaugh has not yet signed the agreement. Throughout the process, he expressed confidence that his previous success as a coach would become evident in Ann Arbor. “
The last sentence suggests that Harbaugh is not enthusiastic about the terms offered by Michigan. Previous reports suggested that Michigan was offering him a lower base salary, but increased incentives based on wins.
With several NFL teams potentially interested in Harbaugh, who had rapid success in San Francisco but lasted for 49ers for only four years, it is possible that he is making one last attempt to see what possibly lurks behind door # 2. before making a decision to commit again to your alma mater.
In any case, the fact that these reports are coming out now is hardly a coincidence. Even if Harbaugh doesn’t want to return to the NFL, the NFL teams’ interest in him may squeeze Michigan to sweeten the pot.