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Report: Jim Harbaugh, Las Vegas Raiders have ‘mutual interest’

Alex Weberby:Alex Weber•01/08/24
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The Los Angeles Chargers are pursuing Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. © Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Despite the national championship coming up later this evening, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is embroiled in NFL coaching rumors, the latest including the Raiders and Chargers vacancies.

According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Raiders owner Mark Davis is interested in the Wolverine head coach and would heavily consider him for the position if he was in fact interested. Here was Schultz’ reporting on that development Monday morning ahead of the CFP final:

“Sources to BleacherReport: There is mutual interest between the #Raiders and current #Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh.”

Schultz added that “there is a slew of internal support for Antonio Pierce — whom Davis really likes.” Pierce took over as the team’s interim in 2023 after Josh McDaniels was fired in the middle of the year, but Harbaugh is potentially a can’t-miss candidate and is “at or near the top of (Davis’) list.”

Lastly, the report confirmed that “Harbaugh wants to return to the NFL” and currently has “a lot of interest” in the Chargers gig as well.

Either way, according to a video tweeted out by Schultz shortly after those reports, Harbaugh appears to be on his way out. Here was Schultz explaining that the Michigan head coach has made his plan to bolt back to the NFL very clear to the Wolverines.

Previous report on Chargers-Harbaugh

By On3’s Nick Kosko

The Los Angeles Chargers reportedly have interest in Jim Harbaugh, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz.

Harbaugh flirted with the NFL over the last two seasons, including interviewing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to the 2022 season. He’s reportedly set to sign a contract extension with Michigan, but it reportedly has a clause where he cannot go back to the NFL during the deal.

Following that third straight College Football Playoff appearance, Michigan is reportedly working on a contract extension for Harbaugh.

Harbaugh could be in line to get $11 million per year for the next five years, according to reporting from Sports Illustrated’s Richard Johnson. The lone hang-up, Johnson reports, is Michigan wanting “a commitment in writing from Harbaugh that he will not pursue an NFL job this cycle.”

The ninth-year Michigan head coach has often been linked to potential NFL jobs, ever since he departed the NFL following the 2014 season.

The interest has even sometimes hampered Michigan’s recruiting efforts at a key time on the calendar, something the Wolverines would presumably like to avoid if they can help it. Perhaps even contractually obligate it.

In nine seasons, Harbaugh is 88-25 with the Wolverines program. He arrived in 2015 after a four-year stint coaching the San Francisco 49ers. Prior to that, Harbaugh had college experience for four years coaching the Stanford program, from 2007-10.