According to Ian Rapoport, Jim Harbaugh has been offered a 10-year extension deal worth $125 million by Michigan. This comes in the wake of the coach’s rumored return to the NFL, following the ongoing sign-stealing investigation the Wolverines are engulfed in.
However, the new deal, which will pay Harbaugh an average of $12.5 million annually over the course of 10 years, has a clause that prevents an immediate NFL return. The coach won’t be able to join an NFL team until the end of the 2024 season if he accepts this deal.
The proposed contract for the Wolverines is unprecedented within the landscape. If finalized, this deal would surpass Dabo Swinney's $115 million contract, making it the largest in the history of college football. It will also make Harbaugh the highest-paid coach in the realm, overtaking Alabama’s Nick Saban.
This shows Michigan’s intent to keep Jim Harbaugh at Ann Arbor despite the level of pressure coming from the NFL to lure the coach away. The coach has been linked to a couple of NFL franchises, including the Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers.
Harbaugh has an impressive 87–25 record from nine seasons at Michigan, his alma mater. The Wolverines have won the last three Big Ten Championships and have made it to the College Football Playoffs for three consecutive seasons, ending the last two regular seasons unbeaten.
Will a National Championship victory keep Jim Harbaugh at Michigan?
Following another brilliant regular season under Jim Harbaugh, Michigan reached the College Football Playoff as the No. 1 ranked team. The Wolverines are set to square up against the Southeastern Conference champion Alabama in the playoff semifinal on January 1.
While Michigan has fallen out of the CFP in the semifinals in the last two seasons, there's a good chance that they will be crowned champion this time. The hope in Ann Arbor is that a national title victory will ensure Harbaugh commits to the program in the long term.
However, the veteran coach faced a challenging year at Michigan in 2023, incurring two suspensions, one self-imposed and another imposed by the Big Ten. Consequently, he only coached in six regular-season games and this could be a factor that pushes him out of college football.
Nonetheless, things happen quite fast in the landscape and the fans are hopeful Jim Harbaugh remains with them for the next couple of years. Without a doubt, he will be an option for many NFL openings in 2024.
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