Michigan football and Jim Harbaugh have worked to hammer out a contract extension over the past few months, but the Wolverines and the head coach have hit several snags along the way.
First, it was the administration not seeming to all be on the same page, and thus Harbaugh wasn’t ‘feeling the love.’ Then, successive NCAA investigations caused some turmoil surrounding the program.
As things move along, it’s unclear whether or not Harbaugh will remain in Ann Arbor for his tenth season and beyond, but according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the offer from Michigan wasn’t of the mere five-year variety as initially speculated. Instead, it’s a 10-year deal that would pay him $12.5 million per year.
Sources say Harbaugh, whose current deal runs through 2026, received an offer from Michigan for a 10-year, $125-million contract extension that would make him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football. Yet there is a caveat, and it’s NFL-related.
If he signed the deal — which he has not yet done — Harbaugh would agree not to entertain or accept an NFL job for the 2024 season. The NFL clause would be one season only, but that’s apparently been enough to drag out the process.
Though there has been a lot of consternation within Michigan circles (namely fans) about Harbaugh having yet to sign the deal, the head coach has almost always had something of a hyperfocus on the season. And given that the Wolverines are in the postseason with an opportunity to make the national championship game, surely that elevates his focus solely on football.
Still, until a deal is signed, especially with the no-NFL flirtation caveat, there will be rumors that Harbaugh will go elsewhere, which has been the case since he arrived in 2015 — with the 2020 postseason being the only exception.