Tom Crean: Jim Harbaugh celebrated national championship with wine, pizza

If you thought you saw Tom Crean during Monday’s College Football Playoff national championship, that’s because you did. He’s married to Jim Harbaugh’s sister, Joani, which meant he got to partake in the postgame celebration after Michigan knocked off Washington.

Crean was with the Harbaugh family during and after the game, getting field access after Michigan put the finishing touches on its first national title since 1997. Back at the hotel, though, he got to sit with Harbaugh as he unwound after finally reaching the mountaintop.

How did the Michigan coach savor the victory? Well, it was in true Harbaugh fashion.

“It was reflection, and he was just relieved,” Crean said on SiriusXM College. “I think he had a glass of wine. That’s basically about it.

“And then, [he] ate pizza, because I don’t think he ate too much during the day.”

Tom Crean and the rest of the Harbaugh family had their own floor at the hotel while the team celebrated on its own. Although Harbaugh’s wife was upstairs, he decided to stay with his family and relax for a bit following the biggest victory of his career.

“Late that night after it’s all over, they had a team room and everything was done on the fourth floor for the team,” Crean said. “Well, the second floor was more for the family. And they did a phenomenal job with it. Jim finally comes in and just kind of sits over on the side with his mom and his dad. And his wife, Sarah, was up with the kids at that point. So he was gonna be down there for a little bit before he went up to see her. But we probably spent about 45 minutes to an hour, and people would come up and talk.”

Michigan knocked off Washington 34-13 in the game to seal its first national championship in 26 years. The last time the Wolverines won a title, Jim Harbaugh was in his third season as the Indianapolis Colts quarterback. Now, in his ninth season as the head coach at his alma mater, Harbaugh did what he set out to do. He took Michigan back to the top.

But as questions swirled about what could be next for Harbaugh, particularly regarding a possible NFL return. When asked by On3’s Andy Staples if a Super Bowl was on his list of accomplishments, Harbaugh said he wanted to enjoy the victory.

With his wine — and his pizza — he certainly did.

“I just want to enjoy this,” Harbaugh said. “I hope you give me that. Can a guy have that? Does it always have to be what’s next, what’s the future? Like I said the other day, yeah, I hope to have a future. I hope there’s a tomorrow, a day after tomorrow, a next week, a next month, a next year.”