"Going to be $14-15 million a year" - Adam Schefter sheds light on Jim Harbaugh's potential NFL contract value amid Michigan HC's transfer rumors

The rumors surrounding the possibility of Jim Harbaugh leaving college football for the NFL continue to swirl. This time, the matter was picked up by ESPN's Adam Schefter on 'The Pat McAfee Show'.

According to Schefter, if the Michigan Wolverines win the national championship this year, the possibility of Harbaugh leaving college football would increase dramatically.

That would make sense, as the former San Francisco 49ers coach came back to his alma mater looking to re-establish the school's football pedigree.

If he manages to win the national title, after a second straight CFP appearance and three straight Big Ten titles, he can leave with the mission accomplished. Per Schefter, the true long-term goal of Harbaugh is to win a Super Bowl. He came tantalizingly close - a few yards - to achieving that with the 49ers in 2013.

"Yeah, there's a chance, I think that he's in a situation where he has considered the NFL all along. I think that he has gone to Michigan to do a certain job."

When asked about how much he thinks Harbaugh would make in the NFL, Schefter gave the following answer:

"Well, it depends on what you're talking about, right? If you're Jim Harbaugh, and you're going to the NFL. To me in my mind, that number is going to be $14 -15 million a year roughly."

Could Jim Harbaugh have other reasons to join the NFL?

Some voices inside college football believe that Jim Harbaugh could have other interests in mind when considering leaving for the NFL. The Michigan Wolverines are still deep into an investigation regarding recruiting norms violations during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the center of this dispute is Harbaugh himself.

Detroit News recently reported that the Ann Arbor school received a notification from the NCAA, stating that Harbaugh hadn't been truthful to investigators. While the coach vehemently denies this, lying to investigators could be construed as a level 1 violation. This, paired with the sign-stealing scandal late in the regular season, has Harbaugh in hot water.

Leaving for the NFL could be a way to put the matter to rest. Michigan will face Alabama in the Rose Bowl CFP semifinal on January 1.