Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is preparing to try to win a national championship for his alma mater on Monday night against Washington, but what happens after that game is anybody’s guess.
Michigan’s administration has a lucrative contract extension offer out to Harbaugh, but the two sides are currently in a holding pattern on that deal, sources told Sports Illustrated‘s Pat Forde.
Reading the tea leaves, it appears that this might be the time that Harbaugh makes the jump back to the NFL. He hired agent Don Yee recently, who holds multiple NFL clients including retired quarterback Tom Brady and Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton.
The Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers are two teams that are expected to have interest in Harbaugh, with the Chargers currently viewed as his preferred landing spot, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
Harbaugh’s interest in a potential return to the NFL has been well-documented. He interviewed for the Minnesota Vikings opening two years ago and with the Broncos last year, but ultimately decided to return to Ann Arbor both times.
When asked at Saturday’s national championship media day if he had assured Michigan’s administration that he would return next season, Harbaugh gave a definitive non-answer.
“I’ll gladly talk about the future next week. And I hope to have one, how about that? A future, I hope to have one, yes. Thank you.”
This offseason is shaping up to be another one in which Harbaugh takes a hard look at the NFL, and this time, he may ultimately take the plunge to pursue a Super Bowl title.
