DETROIT — Jim Harbaugh took a look, as he said he would, and the Vikings looked too. Whatever they saw in each other wasn't enough to make a fit, and the conclusion may have stunned some.
It probably shouldn't. Harbaugh will be back at Michigan, and the truth is, it likely worked out best for both sides. Michigan needed to know definitively and quickly, and he announced it Wednesday night, the same day he interviewed in Minnesota. The Vikings needed a stabilizing coach for a new regime, and perhaps found Harbaugh's unpredictability or peculiarity (or price), more than they wanted to handle.
Ultimately, it doesn't really matter who spurned who, or if it was simply a mutual exploration. Harbaugh got the NFL dalliance out of his system for now, although you can never say forever. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Harbaugh told AD Warde Manuel "this would not be a re-occurring issue and he would stay at Michigan as long as it wants him."
It ended before it became a problem, and halted rising angst in Ann Arbor. Obviously, this can't keep happening, and Manuel showed the requisite patience to let it unfold this time. So did most Michigan fans, although some surely wavered. Now Harbaugh has to show renewed commitment and determination, and if he proves last season's 12-2 championship run wasn't an outlier, all will be forgotten.
Michigan's signing day quiet, ends with Jim Harbaugh staying put
The restless crowd that cited his 1-5 record against Ohio State will quiet down, at least for now. The fact is, Harbaugh only interviewed with one NFL team. Reports of other purported destinations died quickly.
We knew the NFL question would periodically stir from the moment Harbaugh returned to his alma mater seven years ago, after a remarkable four-year stint with the 49ers. No matter what you think of his record at UM — 61-24, one Big Ten title — his departure now would not have been ideal for anyone. Not for Michigan, which would have had to make a quick, critical hire. Not necessarily for Harbaugh, who would have entered a cauldron of uncertainty with the rebuilding Vikings, while the NFL faces a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by fired Dolphins coach Brian Flores.
The Vikings perhaps thought twice about hiring a polarizing coach — albeit a highly successful one — one day after they spent nine hours interviewing a Black candidate, Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. The timing of the bombshell lawsuit can't be ignored, although the Vikings apparently now will hire Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell.
Their first-time GM, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, reportedly encountered resistance from the franchise's ownership group to a Harbaugh hire. He led the 49ers to a 44-19-1 record and three NFC championship games from 2011-14 but clashed with the front office.
No begging or cajoling was required here, nor should it have been. Harbaugh likely will sign an updated contract expected to restore most of the pay cut he took a year ago. After the 2-4 pandemic-shortened season, he accepted a deal that slashed his base salary from $8 million to $4 million, with lots of incentives. That sparked the uncertainty. The victory over Ohio State and run to the playoff shifted some control back to Harbaugh.
The optics of Harbaugh's presence in Minnesota on Wednesday, national signing day in college football, weren't great but mostly irrelevant. The main signing date was in December and the Wolverines had no plans to add anybody.
Manuel had contingency plans, and internal candidates such as offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, 38, and running backs coach Mike Hart, 35, would've been intriguing options. Maintaining continuity after winning the Big Ten was vitally important. If people think the program wouldn't have been damaged at all by a sudden Harbaugh departure, they're being naïve. Or arrogant.
As it is, Michigan retained its solid recruiting class — rated as high as eighth in the country. Harbaugh was upfront with recruits, according to reports, telling them he'd explore the NFL. It wasn't a protracted tour, and Harbaugh actually made numerous recruiting trips across the country the past few weeks.
Manuel knew offseason uncertainty was possible and he played it coolly. I bet he gladly accepts the unease in exchange for that Big Ten title, the program's first in 17 years.
But now expectations will ratchet anew for Harbaugh and his program. Fixing that 3-4 record against Michigan State — 0-2 against Mel Tucker — is paramount. It doesn't get any easier, either. Harbaugh has to find a replacement for defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who left for the Ravens. The 34-11 playoff loss to Georgia revealed how far the Wolverines still have to go. The school's administration is in disarray, with a new president coming, and Michigan trails others in utilizing the transfer portal and NIL opportunities.
All of those were factors in Harbaugh's NFL flirtation. His competitive fervor and personality quirks can wear people down, and seven seasons is by far the longest he has stayed anywhere. Some wondered if it would be awkward for Harbaugh to return to Ann Arbor. I'd suggest it's not any more awkward than when he stayed with a scaled-down contract. Harbaugh knows awkward well.
One year ago, Michigan seemed ready to move on. If the NFL had shown interest, so apparently was Harbaugh. To completely judge a coach on one muddled season is short-sighted, but he was judged on six seasons, an 0-5 record against Ohio State and no Big Ten titles. Although his salary was sliced, he made up most of the shortfall with a stirring rebound, then donated $2-plus million in bonuses back to the athletic department.
The winds of popularity can shift dramatically in sports, and Manuel recognized it then. Harbaugh recognized the opportunity now, and at 58, one more (final?) look at the NFL was fair.
Harbaugh indicated he had unfinished business, having lost to his brother John and the Ravens in the 2013 Super Bowl. But he also has unfinished business at Michigan, with one title and a losing record against his rivals. Obviously, the program is in much better shape than what he inherited from Brady Hoke, with four double-digit victory totals in six full seasons.
The Wolverines also return a lot of talent, especially on offense, including the five-star quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, that Harbaugh always lacked. With an advantageous schedule, Big Ten contention should be expected again.
Oddly, that could have made it easier for Harbaugh to leave, knowing he set up the next coach pretty well. But Ann Arbor is home to his family, and he talks openly about his love for the place and how last season was his most enjoyable. Was he bruised by the criticism and quietly annoyed by the pay cut? Probably. Only Harbaugh knows, and he never says much.
He does say to follow his actions, not his words. His words after beating the Buckeyes: "It feels like the beginning." His actions Wednesday filled in the blanks and provided some meaning.
