“We’re innocent”: Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh breaks silence about sign-stealing scandal after championship success

Jim Harbaugh has successfully made his 2023–24 season more than just about a sign-stealing scandal. The Michigan head coach’s season was laden with serious scandals ranging from allegations of recruitment violations to sign-stealing. And for both allegations, Harbaugh has served measures of punishment.

First, he served a three-game self-imposed suspension at the beginning of the season. That was in response to the recruitment violation allegation. Then, he was handed another three-game suspension by the Big Ten for the last three games of the regular season. Harbaugh was back on the sidelines to oversee his team win the Big Ten championship game.

Following the victory over Kalen DeBoer’s Washington to claim the national championship, Harbaugh opened up about the off-field scandals.

"It went exactly how we wanted it to go to win every game," Harbaugh said (h/t ESPN). "The off-the-field issues, we're innocent and we stood strong and tall because we knew we were innocent. And I'd like to point that out."

How has the sign-stealing scandal affected Jim Harbaugh and Michigan?

Given how Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines started their season, many wondered if the team would top their 2022 performance. The Wolverines went through the 2022 regular season unbeaten, recording their only loss in the Fiesta Bowl.

In Harbaugh’s absence, however, the Wolverines still won all three games to open their season.

When allegations of sign-stealing emerged, there were different possibilities considered. One of them is that Michigan might have to vacate some or all of its wins during the period being investigated.

Former Michigan off-field analyst Connor Stalions was mostly implicated in the sign-stealing scandal and has since resigned from his role with the Wolverines.

2024 CFP National Championship - Michigan v Washington

Eventually, the Big Ten wrote to Michigan, informing the school of its decision to suspend Harbaugh as a punishment for the school. Perhaps one of the biggest effects of the scandal is how it has increased reports of a possible Harbaugh move to the NFL.

The head coach has been with the Wolverines since 2015, although he has had a prior stint in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers.

Now, amidst reports linking him to the NFL, Michigan has offered Jim Harbaugh a new 10-year deal reportedly worth $125 million. Whether he accepts or rejects this new deal and heads to the NFL, the cloud of the sign-stealing scandal still hangs on him and Michigan.