49ers

49ers & HC Jim Harbaugh Agree To Postpone Contract Talks

July 31, 2014

49ers’ CEO Jed York and HC Jim Harbaugh have agreed to postpone contract talks until 2014 season has concluded.

“We actually just had this conversation yesterday,” York said, via CNS Bay Area. “Lots of people were talking to him about it. We just said, ‘You know what, let’s not do anything during the season. Let’s sit down a week or so after the season is over and let everybody know we’re not focused on anything that’s off the field right now.’

“Jim and I will sit down a week or so after the season is over and we’ll figure out where we go.”

Previous reports had mentioned that Harbaugh would like to be paid like a Super Bowl winning coach, but York would first prefer him to win a Super Bowl title before doing so.

However, York said that if Harbaugh’s price were to increase following a title, it would be an “unbelievable problem.”

“Well, Jim’s here for the next two years under contract,” he said. “And like I’ve said publicly and very loudly in the past, I hope he has the utmost leverage when we sit down and talk about his contract at the end of the season.

“It’s a good thing. It’s an unbelievable problem to have.”

As York said, Harbaugh has two year remaining on his five-year, $25 million contract.

During the offseason, reports surfaced that the 49ers had spoken to the Browns regarding a potential trade involving Harbaugh. Browns owner Jimmy Haslem even confirmed that the two sides had spoken, but it appears as though the idea never gained much, if any, traction.

Harbaugh deserves a ton of credit for what he has been able to do with the 49ers in the three seasons he’s been with the team. They already have played eight games and were within one play from winning the Super Bowl.

His regular season record consists of 36 wins, 11 losses and one tie for a winning percentage of .766.

If Harbaugh were to reach the open market as a head coach, there would be plenty of teams throwing big money his way, but it would still be hard to imagine him leaving a great situation in San Francisco.