Despite interviewing with the Los Angeles Chargers, Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh is still in talks with Michigan regarding a potential contract extension.
In these new contract extension talks, Harbaugh is reportedly asking for immunity from termination should the NCAA place sanctions on Harbaugh as a result of their current investigations, according to Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports.
Harbaugh is currently under investigation for sign-stealing allegations as well as recruiting violations that were allegedly committed during COVID.
Other details of the potential contract that Harbaugh is requesting are a length of six years as well as $11.5 million guaranteed per year. A salary at this rate would make him the highest paid coach in college football. Some fans think asking for immunity implies that Harbaugh knows he is guilty.
Why is there immunity if they did “nothing wrong”
— 🌰 (@Jordeaf) January 16, 2024
Immunity?? Boy doesn’t he sound guilty
— Adam Beers (@AdamBeers12) January 16, 2024
I thought he said they were all innocent. What possible findings could there be?
— HyperbolicNole (@CalebJames17) January 16, 2024
Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh’s NFL desires are nothing new
Harbaugh, who was the former head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, has been the subject of NFL rumors since 2021. Harbaugh made it to the Super Bowl with the 49ers, and now that he has won a national championship with Michigan a Super Bowl victory is the only thing he has yet to accomplish.
Harbaugh’s current athletic director at Michigan, Warde Manuel, said he hopes Harbaugh stays in an article from Eleven Warriors.
“He’s always going to be somebody I’m proud of who coached the University of Michigan, who led this team,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said after the national championship game. “And if he decides that he wants another opportunity to coach in the pros, then I’m going to be happy for him. Sad for us. We’re going to move on and find the next person to lead. But I want him to stay at Michigan. I’ve said it. I believed it three, four years ago when people wanted me to get rid of him. I didn’t because I believed it then and I believe it now.”
Harbaugh has interviewed with the Los Angeles Chargers, and there is reportedly mutual interest between him and the Las Vegas Raiders.
After last season, Harbaugh interviewed with the Denver Broncos and the Minnesota Vikings. Harbaugh said he felt a pull to the NFL because of how close he got to the Super Bowl following those interviews last year, he said in an article from NFL.com
“There was a tugging at me that I was once that close to a Super Bowl and I didn’t get it, ” Harbaugh said to Albom. “Some NFL jobs came open. I was contacted by the Vikings. For better or for worse, it was something I wanted to explore. I went in thinking, ‘I’m gonna have 100 percent conviction on this, and if they [Minnesota] have 100 percent conviction on this, then it’s something I’m gonna do.'”
Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh could be involved in one of the biggest scandals in NCAA history
Harbaugh is at the potential forefront of a sign-stealing allegation that could have massive effects on the Michigan football program as well as college football as a whole.
Former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions was fired for sending scouts to other team’s games to do in-person scouting, which is illegal in college football. Harbaugh was subsequently suspended by the Big Ten for three games.
His suspension, which did not come from the NCAA, was dished out by the Big Ten because the NCAA shared evidence that it “knew and cold prove” the accusations.
Harbaugh is also under investigation for a recruiting violation that took place during COVID. The NCAA gave Harbaugh a notice of allegations for multiple Level II violations. Harbaugh served a self-imposed three-game suspension for these violations at the beginning of the year.
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