With Michigan’s season-ending in heartbreak at the Fiesta Bowl against TCU 51-45, the rumors of Jim Harbaugh returning to the NFL have commenced.
According to The Athletic, Jim Harbaugh’s likely leaving for the NFL is imminent with sources saying if a franchise offers the Wolverines head coach he would take it.
It isn’t Harbaugh’s first flirtation with the NFL in recent years.
On Signing Day in 2022, Harbaugh was interviewing with the Minnesota Vikings.
According to those close to that situation, Harbaugh wasn’t offered the job. Some whispers indicated Harbaugh was distant and withdrew himself from consideration to focus on the 2022 season for Michigan.
With the landscape dynamically shifting in college football and for Michigan, here are my five reasons why Harbaugh should leave Michigan for the NFL right now.
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#1 Michigan may have already peaked under Harbaugh
When Harbaugh dismissed the rumors last year with the NFL he said,
“There was a pull to the NFL because I got that close to the Super Bowl, but this was the time. And this is the last time. Now let’s go chase college football’s greatest prize.”
Harbaugh has had two prime opportunities in the last two seasons to capture “college football’s greatest prize” and it isn’t a guarantee he will get another chance.
Ohio State is making adjustments with news that Ryan Day is relinquishing play-calling duties. It also proved in the Peach Bowl that they have the personnel to go against the No. 1 seed Georgia.
James Franklin seemingly has Penn State rejuvenated and back to where it was between 2016 to 2019 and is a New Year’s Six bowl threat. He has the offensive lineman and running backs that have been desperately needed.
Nebraska and Wisconsin made significant football coaching hires this offseason with Matt Rhule and Luke Fickell and the conference will be adding Southern California and UCLA in 2024.
The league is getting deeper and the question is how much better can it get for Michigan?
They have defeated Ohio State back-to-back for the first time in two decades and won consecutive Big Ten championships, Michigan can continue to rise, but the rising challenges make it harder for Harbaugh to keep the Wolverines on top and his stock isn’t any higher.
#2 Ohio State
While Harbaugh has seemingly figured out the Ohio State hex on Michigan, Harbaugh is still 2-5 versus the Buckeyes.
The back-to-back wins have given Harbaugh a new lease on life, but another loss won’t sit well with the Wolverines.
Day has been making key adjustments to his staff, he brought in Jim Knowles to coordinate his defense, he has empowered Brian Hartline who is arguably the best wide receiver coach and recruiter in the country, and as previously mentioned he is looking to relinquish play-calling duties and become more a CEO of his team.
Ohio State had a great showing in the Peach Bowl and will look to build off the momentum of that game.
Even with The Game in Ann Arbor in 2023, the Buckeyes are looking to reverse the course of the rivalry back to its two-decade dominance.
#3 The Super Bowl
While Harbaugh after dismissing NFL rumors last year indicating how close he was to the Super Bowl and that was that time it still gnaws at Harbaugh for losing that game to his little brother John.
Harbaugh has been close throughout his coaching career at all levels, but the Super Bowl is this sport’s ultimate accomplishment.
Where Harbaugh is at in his career, he isn’t taking a major rebuild over like Houston Texans, a team would have to have necessary pieces in place for Harbaugh to have a maximum impact.
The Denver Broncos make sense if Harbaugh believes Russell Wilson is still a viable franchise quarterback, the Broncos have some explosive weapons in Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, and Courtland Sutton.
The Stanford ties Harbaugh shares make this a natural fit when you look at the Broncos organization.
The Broncos CEO is a Stanford alum, and minority shareholder Condoleeza Rice, who is part of the Broncos search committee and has ties to the Cardinal.
Another logical landing spot is the Indianapolis Colts.
The Colts have some significant pieces in Jonathan Taylor, Quenton Nelson, and Darius Leonard.
His relationship with Jim Irsay also fuels the rumors.
As of this writing, the Colts possess the No. 5 overall pick in the draft where they are in a prime position to draft a franchise quarterback.
#4 Dealing With A New Era of College Football
College football is changing significantly.
While Michigan has won big the last two seasons, it has somewhat been shielded and delayed by what the majority of college football has dealt with the transfer portal and bowl opt-outs.
As NIL matures, recruiting is dynamically changing because of it, with all the rumors of tampering running rampant with no honor among thieves, Harbaugh might have decided he had enough.
The constant recruiting to keep your team intact is exhausting and something Harbaugh wouldn’t have to do in the NFL.
From very good sources: the possibility of Harbaugh leaving for the NFL is real. Could even happen fast.
NOTHING FINAL, but IF he goes, it would not be because of money, NIL, control, or just about anything regarding UM, but his growing frustration with college football itself.— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) January 3, 2023
#5 The Door Is Closing
Harbaugh is 58 years old and at a point in his career where opportunities begin to wane.
Having success in the NFL is still something Harbaugh has flirtations with.
With Harbaugh, he knows the opportunities will get fewer and fewer with the NFL where he has the choice of jobs.
It almost felt like on the last go around, Harbaugh walked away from the NFL to stay with Michigan.
It feels like this time, Harbaugh realizes the door is closing and has to make a decision between staying at Michigan and building his legacy in Ann Arbor or getting an NFL job and chasing the dreams of hoisting a Vince Lombardi Trophy and potentially earning a bust in Canton, something his brother has a stranglehold on.
