Report: Jim Harbaugh makes surprising decision about future

Just when it looked like he was leaving, Jim Harbaugh stunned the football world. He’s not going anywhere.

After interviewing for the open Minnesota Vikings head coaching job on Wednesday, Harbaugh informed Michigan officials he’s returning to Ann Arbor this coming season, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Schefter added Michigan was “elated” to hear about Harbaugh’s decision.

Jim Harbaugh called Michigan to inform the school that, despite interviewing with the Vikings today, he will be returning to school for the 2022 season, sources tell ESPN. Michigan was, in the words of one source, “elated” to get Harbaugh’s decision.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 3, 2022

Conversations between the Vikings and Harbaugh heated up this week and he was in Minnesota for an interview on Wednesday. Despite reportedly considering a return to the NFL, he continued on the recruiting trial throughout the offseason. News of his decision broke as National Signing Day was coming to a close.

Harbaugh wasn’t the Vikings’ only head coach candidate. New York Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is a contender, as are both of the Los Angeles Rams coordinators — offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. It’s down to those three now that Harbaugh is heading back to Ann Arbor.

Harbaugh turned Michigan around this season, taking the Wolverines from a 2-4 2020 record to a 12-1 2021 record and the program’s first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff. Michigan fell to Georgia in the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Eve.

Now, Michigan can go forward knowing it has its coach. The Wolverines had the No. 9 recruiting class this year, as well, according to the On3 Consensus Team Rankings.

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Rumors of Harbaugh’s reported interest in returning to the NFL started swirling in early January when The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reported he “might be tempted” to return to the league. From there, he was linked to the Las Vegas Raiders and Chicago Bears — both of whom went different directions.

That’s when Minnesota entered the picture, and the Vikings flew him out for an interview on National Signing Day. In fact, Schefter provided an update about the talks on Wednesday afternoon about three hours before he broke Harbaugh’s decision.

“They’re trying to get a feel for one another to see if this is a relationship that they want to move forward and advance,” Schefter said on NFL Live. “I think everyone can agree if Jim Harbaugh is in Minnesota on this day and if the Vikings are interviewing him for a second time that there clearly is mutual interest. You don’t do that to Jim Harbaugh before somehow figuring he’s not going to be in the mix.

“The question is do they want to move forward now with him [or] do they want to wait for one of the Rams’ coordinators or another candidate after the Super Bowl? We’ll see what they decide. But Jim Harbaugh is in the building today, as we speak. They’re going through the process. Again, we’ll see what the Vikings owners ultimately decide to do here.”