Michigan offered coach Jim Harbaugh a five-year contract extension earlier this week, according to Yahoo Sports Dan Wetzel, but he hasn’t signed yet on Saturday night.
But the sources say FOX Sports and The AthleticBruce Feldman that the deal is almost finished.
The 57-year-old former Wolverines star is waiting to see if there are any NFL teams interested in hiring him as their next coach, the Detroit Free Press reported. With the regular NFL season ending this weekend, several teams are expected to be in the market for a new head coach.
Harbaugh had previously expressed interest in the New York Jets, in addition to the Los Angeles Chargers. Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, of the NFL Network, listed Harbaugh as a potential target after news that the Jets should split from Adam Gase after Sunday’s game against the Patriots.
His coaching resume suggests that he may be a good option. Harbaugh trained four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, taking them to the Super Bowl in the 2012 season.
Harbaugh has 49-22 in six seasons as head coach in Michigan and 34-16 in the Big Ten game. He led the program with four search results in the top 20, but his best season, tenth place, came in his second year (2016). However, he is 0-5 against rival Ohio State, who is one of the candidates for the national championship after defeating Clemson at the Sugar Bowl on Friday. Michigan ended the 2020 campaign 2-4.