The Michigan Wolverines have offered San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh a six-year deal worth $48 million to become their new head coach.
Michigan has been searching for a head coach sicne firing Brady Hoke.
Harbaugh would be the perfect fit for Michigan, as he’s already had success at the collegiate level with Stanford. Harbaugh coached four seasons at Stanford and had a record of 29-21 during that span. Stanford went 1-11 in 2006, with Harbaugh arriving in 2007 and gradually improving the team every year and leading them to an Orange Bowl victory in 2010. He left the University after that season for the NFL to coach the 49ers. He’s lead San Francisco to the NFC Championship in his first three seasons, losing two of the three and losing the Super Bowl to the Ravens in 2012, who are coached by his brother John Harbaugh.
It seems like Harbaugh has lost the locker room this season, and his contract is up after this season. The Oakland Raiders are also in the mix to get Harbaugh, but I seem him heading back to the college game. I don’t think the Raiders will be able to match the Michigan offer.
If Harbaugh takes the deal it would make him the highest paid coach in football (college or professional). Alabama head coach Nick Saban is currently the highest paid in college at $6.9 million a year, while Sean Payton and Pete Carroll each make $8 million a year in the NFL. The Raiders are paying their current coach Dennis Allen $3 million a year, which is last in the NFL.
Michigan needs to make a splash to get their fan base interested again, and Harbaugh fits that mold. I personally hope that Michigan can make a splash and get a winner there.
According to Ian Rapoport, “Jim Harbaugh has not yet told Michigan a definitive no,” Rapoport said on NFL Network’s “Around the NFL.”
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