Jim Harbaugh is reportedly working on a five-year, $55 million contract extension with the University of Michigan. However, according to a report, if Harbaugh wants to close the deal, he must pledge that he will not pursue an NFL coaching job during his next contract cycle.
According to multiple media reports, negotiations between Harbaugh and the university have begun, but no deal is imminent as there are still details to work out.
The proposed $11 million contract would make the 59-year-old Harbaugh the second-highest-paid coach in college football, behind only Nick Saban of Alabama’s $11.4 million-a-year deal.
“The main hurdle remaining is a commitment in writing from Harbaugh that he will not pursue an NFL job this cycle,” reported SI.
The will he or won’t he question about Harbaugh’s eventual return to NFL head coaching ranks has followed him throughout his Wolverines coaching career.
Harbaugh, who is in his ninth season at Michigan, interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings after the 2021 season. He’s publicly mused about how close his San Francisco 49ers came to defeating the Baltimore Ravens during Super Bowl XLVII in 2013.
Harbaugh was suspended seven games this season, and his program still faces multiple investigations. There are expected to be various NFL head coaching jobs up for grabs in the off-season.
Harbaugh earns about $7 million annually in Ann Arbor on a deal that runs through the 2026 season.
After claiming its third Big Ten championship in a row, his 13-0 Wolverines are preparing to face off with Saban’s 12-1 Crimson Tide in a hotly anticipated College Football Playoff semifinal in the Rose Bowl.
