As speculation about Sean Payton potentially joining the Denver Broncos heats up, Jim Harbaugh buzz might be beginning to die down.
The Broncos completed a virtual interview with Harbaugh earlier this week, but his status at Michigan looms large. Santa Ono, the school’s president, tweeted on Thursday that he has had “very positive and constructive conversations” with athletic director Warde Manuel and Harbaugh.
Harbaugh has left the program in limbo while he ponders a return to the NFL. Jan. 15 is the deadline for players to potentially declare for the NFL draft, and Harbaugh’s status with the school will obviously impact recruiting, too. The school would like a decision sooner than later.
Harbaugh said in a statement last week that “while no one knows what the future holds, I expect that I will be enthusiastically coaching Michigan in 2023.”
Despite those seemingly positive remarks from Harbaugh and Ono, speculation about the coach potentially leaving the school persists. Perhaps complicating the matter is the fact that the Wolverines and Harbaugh are being investigated for potential NCAA violations, and the coach could be facing a multiple-game suspension at the college level.
Now might be an ideal time for Harbaugh to return to the NFL.
On Monday, a former Harbaugh associate predicted to The Athletic‘s Mike Sando that the coach “will flat go to Denver.” Last week, The Athletic reported that sources close to the coach believe a return to the NFL is a “done deal” if he gets an offer.
Meanwhile, reports out of Ann Arbor indicate that Harbaugh’s odds of staying at the school are increasing.
Sources confirm what seems increasingly apparent: Odds of Harbaugh staying at UM growing by the hour.
Not done yet, but looks to be going in that direction.— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) January 12, 2023
It’s hard to know what’s true during this process because each party is likely leaking select information in an effort to gain leverage for their end goal. Harbaugh, for example, might be attempting to use the Broncos as leverage for a big contract increase at Michigan.
Alternatively, Harbaugh could be seriously considering Denver’s opening, leaving the Wolverines wanting to position themselves in the best possible light for recruits and the general public.
We might not know for sure until Harbaugh and/or Payton make their respective decisions. The Broncos, meanwhile, have four more interviews scheduled so far, including an in-person meeting with Payton next week.
We are tracking all of Denver’s head coach interviews on this page.
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