It didn’t take long for this latest NFL chatter involving Jim Harbaugh to surface.
Less than 24 hours after the Michigan football team was knocked out of the college football playoffs, losing a 51-45 game to Texas Christian on Saturday at the Fiesta Bowl, Harbaugh was the latest name tied to the head coach job of the Denver Broncos.
Sunday at the end of the day, Mike Florio of NBC Sports’ ProFootball Talk reported, citing an unidentified source, the Broncos “have contacted Harbaugh to advise that they have an interest in speaking to him” about the job.
Denver fired former coach Nathaniel Hackett a week ago and is expected to “swing big” in the search, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Networkwho both reported that the Broncos were targeting former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Harbaugh.
On Harbaugh, Rapoport and Pelissero report, “The Broncos are one of multiple teams that did their homework on Harbaugh.”
Whether Harbaugh wants to pursue another job in the NFL remains unclear. The 59-year-old former San Francisco 49ers head coach told reporters in early December, after Michigan won its second straight Big Ten championship, that “I’ll be back, excited, coaching the Wolverine in 2023”.
Following: Michigan not deterred by another playoff loss: ‘We’ll be back’
“There’s a lot of speculation about ‘this time of year,'” Harbaugh said. “Nobody knows the future, but I think people think we did a good job and they’re happy with the job we’ve done here in Michigan.”
If he’s telling the truth and considering returning to Michigan, Harbaugh has another climb to make. His Wolverines have swung and missed the playoff semifinals each of the past two seasons, despite an impressive 25-3 record and back-to-back Big Ten championships.
The recent success follows six consecutive disappointing seasons, some more than others, that saw Michigan fail to reach the Big Ten championship game or beat arch-rival Ohio State. Now that Harbaugh has turned the script around and improved Michigan’s position in the college football landscape, an NFL comeback for the 59-year-old coach remains plausible.
In February, Harbaugh interviewed the Minnesota Vikings for their vacant head coaching position, even going so far as to fly to Minneapolis for an in-person interview. He was never offered the job, setting the stage for his return to Michigan and a five-year, $36 million contract extension.
Harbaugh did not apologize for the decision to interview, saying he still wants to one day pursue a Super Bowl, but said he is determined to take Michigan to the top and win a national championship.
“It may take longer to go from 3 to 1, and it may not,” Harbaugh said in a February interview. “But we’re going to attack that – and that’s the goal.”
Following: Michigan played off-script against. TCU in the Fiesta Bowl, and it cost them dearly
While Michigan was the No. 2 seed in the CFP for the second straight year, Harbaugh learned that getting past the semifinals is tough. Last year, Wolverines lost a lopsided game to eventual national champion Georgia, prompting everyone inside Schembechler Hall to refocus and go all out in 2022.
And while the Wolverines had their best season ever under Harbaugh, beating rivals Michigan State and Ohio State en route to a perfect 12-0 regular season, a Big Ten championship and a berth in the CFP, it wasn’t enough for skip the next round.
With that comes a new set of challenges. To stay among college football’s elite, Michigan must continue to develop top players with the goal of winning big games. That’s a lot easier said than done, and it’s still a tough task in a consistently tough Big Ten East division.
Still, the Wolverines have established themselves as the big physical bullies in the conference and should be back in contention for another Big Ten title in 2023, which could very well mean another trip to the playoffs.
Will Harbaugh choose to take another shot at the top of college football, or will he move on to pursue his other NFL dream?
Stay tuned, as the annual offseason speculation surrounding Harbaugh may be just beginning.
Learn more about Michigan football:
Retractable field conditions a problem for Michigan, TCU at Fiesta Bowl
What’s being said nationally about TCU upsetting Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl
Inside the UM locker room, players wonder if TCU loss ruins entire season
Michigan’s dominant rushing offense disappeared in the Fiesta Bowl
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