Michigan Football: Jim Harbaugh’s NFL dance down to Vikings
The Jim Harbaugh rumor mill continues to swirl and while insiders say they expect Harbaugh back as Michigan football coach, one NFL team is still out there.
It has been nearly a month since Jim Harbaugh’s interest in the NFL was first reported and yet there still isn’t a long-term deal in place with Michigan football or an NFL team.
The fact that Michigan football has made a new contract offer to Harbaugh is well known. But it’s also been reported that the deal being offered is in the $7-8 million range which would leave Harbaugh being paid less than Mel Tucker or James Franklin, even after he won the Big Ten.
It’s a joke and frankly, if Harbaugh winds up leaving for the NFL, Michigan and Warde Manuel will only have themselves to blame. The offer should have been 10 years, $100 million as soon as Michigan won the Big Ten championship.
I’ll never understand why that wasn’t done. Just like I don’t get why players can’t use the block M for NIL purposes. It’s almost like Michigan doesn’t want to win.
The latest NFL threat to Michigan football
The Las Vegas Raiders were once thought to be the biggest threat to take Harbaugh away from Michigan football but it looks like Josh McDaniels is going to leave New England for that job.
The Giants job, another position Harbaugh told some behind the scenes he would be interested in, was also filled. That has left well-known Michigan insider John Bacon, who a couple of weeks ago put it at 60-40 that Harbaugh would stay, to increase his percentage to 75-25. Now it’s 80-20.
Harbaugh Watch, Day 27: Nobody Knows Much.
— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) January 28, 2022
Count me 80-20 he stays. But until NFL musical chairs ends, still a possibility, though a fading one.
But what might drive UM fans craziest: the timeline is entirely unclear. He's under contract, and doing the job full blast.
But there was a caveat earlier this week to watch out for the Vikings. And now, Sam Webb of The Michigan Insider is also reporting (subscription required) that there could be some mutual interest after the Vikings hired a GM that used to work under Harbaugh with the 49ers.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was just hired by the Vikings on Wednesday and with his ties to Jim, we’ll see if that gains any traction but Minnesota is a franchise that has been in need of a new face and Harbaugh could certainly be that.
And if Aaron Rodgers were traded away from the Packers, winning the NFC North would look a lot easier. Still, Webb and others are still saying it’s more likely than not that Harbaugh returns, but the fact that this is still going on is absolutely crazy.
Next. Top 10 candidates to replace Mike Macdonald. dark
Michigan football dropped the ball with Jim Harbaugh and hopefully, it doesn’t cost the Wolverines their head coach.