Michigan Football: Jim Harbaugh offers harsh rebuke of NFL rumors

Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh responded to rumors about him leaving the NFL with some plain words to parents that it’s not true.

Rumors about Jim Harbaugh leaving Michigan football for the NFL have been persistent since his first year on the job. It’s been continual and non-stop, win or lose.

But this season, there seems to be some more legitimacy to it. Not only did the Football Scoop report Tuesday that Harbaugh was looking to the NFL, but Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt also suggested earlier this season that Michigan’s head coach could be looking for a way out.

Things haven’t gone as planned for Michigan football under the direction of Harbaugh, who was expected to level the playing field with Ohio State and return the Wolverines to national prominence.

In some ways, Harbaugh has done that. Michigan is a force in recruiting and has won 10 games in three of the last four seasons. That’s hard to criticize but fans have targeted his 0-4 record against Ohio State and his struggles against top-10 teams. Plus, the zero championships he has won.

Many thought this would be the year the Wolverines surged under Harbaugh, especially with the hiring of new offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. However, the offense has gotten even worse this season and UM sits at 5-2, with little hope of winning the Big Ten.

That’s when the rumors surfaced Tuesday about Harbaugh, who was quick to push back against the claims, sending a letter out to recruits according to the Michigan Insider, which obtained a copy.

Here’s what it says:

"“Dear Parents,I am reaching out to let you know that the recent claims that I am “pursuing an exit strategy” are total crap. It’s an annual strategy driven by our enemies to cause disruption to our program and to negatively recruit. By the way, I don’t even have an “agent or representative.”I am committed to your sons, their education and to their development as football players and people.Please excuse the informality of this letter but I felt that it was important to get this out to you as quickly as possible.Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Happy to discuss.”"

Harbaugh is right that opponents of Michigan football have pushed these rumors before, as they did last December in an effort to get Daxton Hill to flip. Of course, coaches always use these kinds of rumors against each other so that’s nothing new.

Michigan is trying to hold onto a top-10 recruiting class with a few more targets hopefully on the way and this could be a way for teams to try and take advantage of the turmoil in Ann Arbor.

Yet, we all know that denials don’t necessarily mean rumors aren’t true. Harbaugh doesn’t have any representatives, but he’s well connected in the NFL world. He would have opportunities if he wanted them.

For now, we can take him at his word. Hopefully, he can get this thing turned around, win out, beat Ohio State and then, maybe, the rumors will be put to rest.

But if this team finishes 8-4 and he falls to 0-5 against Ohio State, all bets are off.