As Jim Harbaugh prepares to lead the Michigan Wolverines in a College Football Playoff matchup against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl, it sounds like Michigan has offered him an absolutely massive contract extension – but there’s a pretty important catch.
According to a report from NFL insider Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Michigan has offered Jim Harbaugh a contract that would make him one of the highest-paid coaches in all of college football, but there’s an important clause in the contract that would prevent him from seeking an NFL job for 2024.
“Sources say Harbaugh, whose current deal runs through 2026, received an offer from Michigan for a 10-year, $125-million contract extension that would make him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football. Yet there is a caveat, and it’s NFL-related,” Rapoport wrote for NFL.com
“If he signed the deal — which he has not yet done — Harbaugh would agree not to entertain or accept an NFL job for the 2024 season. The NFL clause would be one season only, but that’s apparently been enough to drag out the process.”
Though he has remained at Michigan since he was hired in 2015, Harbaugh has explored NFL openings each of the past several seasons and is expected to be one of the top candidates for several NFL jobs this offseason, as well. This provision in his contract is clearly an attempt from Michigan to keep him from doing that again – at least for this season.
We’ll have to see whether Harbaugh decides to accept this contract offer or explore his options at the NFL level.
[NFL.com]
