Jim Harbaugh remains engaged in contract talks with Michigan amid NFL swirl
Industry sources claim that Jim Harbaugh is still in talks with Michigan about a contract extension that includes unique termination clauses should he decide to stay in Ann Arbor, despite meeting with NFL teams about coaching opportunities, notably the Los Angeles Chargers, early this week.
According to insiders, Harbaugh is specifically looking for language that would protect him from being fired for any findings or penalties that might come from the numerous ongoing NCAA investigations into the football program.
Additionally, in an effort to keep the buyout that NFL teams would have to pay Michigan in order to hire him away, Harbaugh is requesting a postponement of the new contract’s start date. On January 11, the buyout in his existing deal was reduced from $2.25 million to $1.5 million. In a new agreement, Michigan wants that to increase to almost $4 million. In an effort to keep the lower and more advantageous buyout amount until after the NFL hiring period is over, Harbaugh has pushed for the new contract to not begin until February 15.
According to reports, Harbaugh is requesting that the school’s athletic director refrain from firing him “for cause” and that, in the event that the coach is fired, the decision be made by a three-member arbitration panel. The coach is also asking for a matrix of sanctions to be specified in the event that there are any future NCAA breaches.
Just over a week ago, Harbaugh guided Michigan to a 15-0 season and a national championship. After spending 14 seasons as a player and 4 as a coach in the NFL (2011–14), he is a highly sought-after coach who helped San Francisco to a 44-19-1 record and a Super Bowl trip.
Michigan has already made the offer to pay Harbaugh $11.5 million a year, guaranteed for six years, the biggest salary of any college football coach. Extra performance-based bonuses would be given.
The termination phrase is nevertheless a source of contention, even when the coach and the school have largely or completely worked out their financial terms.
Several NCAA violations proceedings are pending against Harbaugh and the football team.
The NCAA accused Harbaugh of being less than cooperative with investigators over a number of Level II infractions committed in 2020 and 2021, leading to a Level I violation penalty in December. Furthermore, the NCAA is still looking into claims that former staff member Connor Stalions was involved in advanced scouting with the intention of signing stolen players.
For the first incident, Harbaugh was suspended by the school for three games at the beginning of the 2023 season. For the latter, Harbaugh was punished by the Big Ten for the remaining three regular-season games. The NCAA may impose additional penalties and punishments in both circumstances.
Harbaugh has requested that his contract protect him from being fired for any infraction resulting from those incidents. It also outlines the consequences he would face if the NCAA finds him guilty in a subsequent case. Any Level I or Level II infraction would come with a set of fines.
Additionally, he wants to have a three-member arbitration tribunal rather than the school’s athletic director, Warde Manuel, decide any decision pertaining to “for cause” termination, whether it be for NCAA violations or anything else. Traditionally, a coach’s direct supervisor would decide whether to fire him for cause. He would still be subject to termination by the athletic director due to concerns about his performance.
The president of the institution uses a system called the arbitration panel. Numerous college administrators claim that while it is typical in executive contracts at universities, it is not usual with coaches.
The 60-year-old Harbaugh attended his alma mater for nine years. During that time, Michigan has gone 86-25, going 40-3 the previous three seasons as they qualified for the College Football Playoffs and won three Big Ten titles. Last Monday, it triumphed over Washington to win the school’s first national championship since 1997.
The Chargers announced that Harbaugh was interviewed on Monday for the head coaching vacancy. According to industry sources, discussions might go into Tuesday. There are now seven NFL positions available, and there are rumors of more positions circulating in Dallas and Philadelphia.
