Jim Harbaugh has been rumored to be the favorite for the Denver Broncos head coaching job for the past few days. The Broncos conducted a virtual interview with Harbaugh Monday night that lasted more than two hours.
Then, two days later, out of the blue, the Broncos interviewed former Stanford head coach David Shaw. It was a palaver that left many analysts and fans alike wondering if it’s a look-see as a potential offensive coordinator to be hired under a potential Harbaugh regime in Denver.
Which brings us to Thursday and the University of Michigan, Santa Ono president’s wet blanket thrown over Broncos Country as he took to Twitter.
“I[‘m] I am happy to report that I have had very positive and constructive discussions with our sporting director and football coach. Warde Manuel and I both want Jim Harbaugh to remain the head soccer coach of the University of Michigan Wolverines,” Ono tweeted.
Not long after, Harbaugh himself released a statement on the Wolverines’ social media accounts, giving Michigan fans another lukewarm reassurance that he would remain in the NCAA.
“I fully support President Ono’s message to our fans and appreciate his support for me and the team,” said Harbaugh.
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The excitement about Harbaugh-stays-in-Michigan didn’t end there, however. John U. Bacon of the New York Times tweeted that his Michigan sources think Harbaugh’s chances of staying are increasing.
“Sources confirm what seems to be becoming increasingly obvious: the likelihood of Harbaugh remaining at UM is increasing by the hour. Not done yet but seems to be heading in that direction,” Bacon tweeted.
Contrast this sudden PR push to keep Harbaugh in Michigan against consistent reports from sources close to the head coach that he is determined to return to the NFL. The most recent report on the matter came from The Athletic’s Mike Sando.
“He’s going flat to Denver,” predicted a former Harbaugh associate, speaking on condition of anonymity. “He doesn’t think about all those things. I think he’ll take it easy. He thought last year he would get the job with the Vikings but it didn’t happen.”
Harbaugh’s two half-hearted attempts to placate Wolverines fans that he won’t leave Michigan is another crucial factor in that calculus. Here’s what he said just last week.
“As I said in December, while no one knows what the future holds, I expect to be excited to coach Michigan in 2023.”
A way to get out there, Trainer. Indeed, the future is cloudy, but only because Harbaugh has no intention of honoring his current contract with Michigan. Who knows? Maybe he’s trying to turn that NFL investigation into a Michigan raise.
It doesn’t feel like that’s the goal though. For some reason, Harbaugh feels the pull back to the NFL. Maybe it’s an unfinished business thing. Although Harbaugh coached the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl, he failed to win it.
More likely, the NFL’s fascination with Harbaugh is about money. He will make $7,050,000 with Michigan this year after signing a five-year extension worth $36 million last spring.
While a $7 million salary would rival the average NFL coach, the Broncos’ new ownership group has the resources to make a head coach the highest-paid in league history. There have been rumors that the Walton/Bum group would be willing to pay up to $20 million a year for an elite trainer.
Whether that’s a Harbaugh or a Sean Payton, numbers of that magnitude would certainly draw the attention of any affiliated coach. The Broncos will meet in person with Payton in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Although the Broncos have interviewed other head-coaching candidates and plan to speak to more, it feels like this race is coming down to Harbaugh and Payton. For now, Harbaugh is keeping Michigan at arm’s length as he waits and sees how the Broncos’ situation unfolds in the coming week.
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