Tuesday saw NFL insiders speaking of Jim Harbaugh to the Los Angeles Chargers as all-but-imminent, but a deal was not reached, and Harbaugh reportedly will return to Ann Arbor to continue work with his alma mater.
As the Chargers look to revamp its franchise with both a new head coach and general manager, Harbaugh is getting back to business with the maize and blue, and according to On3’s Chris Balas, the University of Michigan is extending an offer to the nine-year Wolverines coach that would make him the highest-paid in all of college football. What’s more, if he accepts, he will continue to be the highest-paid coach in college football, even if others across the sport get raises.
As we’ve mentioned, Michigan President Santa Ono has said he’d do everything in his power to keep Harbaugh in Ann Arbor. Sources tell us that now includes offering the coach a contract that would make him the highest-paid in college football. It would include escalator clauses to keep it that way (automatic increases in the agreed-upon wages if certain conditions change while the contract is in effect) and language that would better protect Harbaugh against what has been an “aggressive” NCAA.
Will that be enough to keep Harbaugh in Ann Arbor at least for another year? It’s unclear. But as many continue to insist a deal is all but certain, Harbaugh had appeared to be departing each of the last two years only to remain with the Wolverines.
While many expected a deal to be struck between the Chargers and Harbaugh by the end of the day Tuesday, NFL insider Ian Rapoport noted that while a deal was in striking distance, it was certainly not a foregone conclusion.
(Editors note: this story has been updated.)