Report: Sources inside Michigan football think Jim Harbaugh would take Raiders job if offered
Jim Harbaugh’s name has quickly risen to the top of the list of potential coaching candidates for NFL teams this offseason. But would the Michigan man leave his alma mater, especially after his most successful season on the job?
According to some sources, he might. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic reported Wednesday night that some inside the Michigan football program believe Harbaugh would leave Ann Arbor for Las Vegas if the Raiders offered him the job.
The Raiders have not offered the job to Harbaugh, or anyone for that matter — not even interim coach Rich Bisaccia, who star pass rusher Maxx Crosby has advocated for publicly. Bisaccia did interview for the job Wednesday, and led Las Vegas to the playoffs after taking over midseason following the termination of former coach Jon Gruden.
Harbaugh as been at Michigan for the past seven seasons, with this most recent campaign being easily the most successful. Not only did Harbaugh finally beat Ohio State, but he also led the Wolverines to a Big Ten title and the College Football Playoff for the first time, earning AP Coach of the Year honors in the process.
The 58-year-old coach is no stranger to the NFL or the Raiders organization, as he began his coaching career as the team’s quarterbacks coach from 2002-03. He then was hired as the head coach at the University of San Diego, where he spent three seasons before taking the head-coaching job at Stanford.
After four years in Palo Alto capped by a 2011 Orange Bowl win, Harbaugh packed his bags and headed about an hour north to San Francisco, returning to the NFL ranks to coach the 49ers. It didn’t take long for him to find success, as he led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2013 and another NFC Championship the following season.
He was not retained following the 2014 season, and shortly thereafter was named the head coach at Michigan. Harbaugh was an All-Big 10 quarterback for the Wolverines back in his playing days before an NFL career in which he made a Pro Bowl and was inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor.
Harbaugh is currently under contract with Michigan through the 2025 season after inking a four-year extension at the beginning of 2021.
