Even with a suspension to start the season and an NCAA investigation into recruiting violations in his program, Jim Harbaugh was sitting pretty at Michigan. According to the Wall Street Journal, he was even in line to become the highest-paid coach in the Big Ten with a new contract offer from the Wolverines.
But that contract offer is now off the table, the WSJ revealed on Sunday.
Adam Rittenberg of ESPN added some detail on Twitter, reporting that "a contract push accelerated the week of Oct. 8, but things changed once the NCAA investigation [into sign-stealing] launched. A source told [Tom VanHaaren of ESPN] Harbaugh was instructed not to sign yet."
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day got a raise to make $10.19 million in 2023, according to the Columbus Dispatch. So Harbaugh would have eclipsed that number, up from the more than $8 million he's making this year.
All that is on pause.
Jim Harbaugh could miss out on massive Michigan and NFL payday
Harbaugh has another problem. Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Sunday that "the NFL is unlikely to make itself a safe harbor for Harbaugh to escape what could be substantial NCAA discipline, league sources say."
Their sources pointed to former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel as an example of a college head coach who had their NCAA punishment essentially carry into the pros. Tressel had been suspended five games and resigned amid an impermissable benefits scandal involving some of his players. After leaving the Buckeyes, he joined the Colts as a game-day consultant, but Indianapolis defacto upheld his suspension by not allowing him to join until Week 7 in 2011.
"It wasn't officially announced as a suspension, but in consultation with the NFL, the effect was the same. And the point was made: No one should escape discipline by leaving college for the pros."
So it stands to reason, if the NCAA hits Harbaugh with a suspension, NFL teams will abide by it.
That's even assuming an NFL team would hire Harbaugh at this point. He reportedly annoyed teams trying to pursue him this past offseason with his flipflopping. The NCAA investigation hanging over him won't help his case.
