Jim Harbaugh Expected To Be Considered For NFL Head Coaching Vacancies

According to Mike Jones, Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh is expected to be considered during the upcoming NFL head coaching cycle. 

Jones cites a source who’s been briefed on discussions held by high-ranking NFL officials about potential coaching candidates. He adds two other league sources who regularly discuss coaching moves with teams cite the Bears and Raiders as teams Harbaugh would be interested in coaching. 

Harbaugh has had discussions with the Raiders before on multiple occasions and Las Vegas is the only team so far with a vacancy after firing HC Josh McDaniels and turning things over to interim HC Antonio Pierce to finish the season. 

The Bears are 3-7 and the long-term outlook for HC Matt Eberflus is in some question. Harbaugh knows Bears CEO Kevin Warren, who was the former commissioner of the Big 10, and also was a former first-round pick by Chicago. 

Harbaugh has flirted with jumping back to the NFL on what seems like an annual basis, but the recent controversy with Michigan’s sign-stealing program has reignited that. Harbaugh is currently serving a suspension from the Big 10 and cannot coach during games, though he is still allowed to perform his duties during the week. 

Harbaugh, 60, was a first-round pick out of Michigan by the Bears in 1987. He played 14 years in the league before becoming a coach, first with the Raiders. He was hired by San Diego as head coach in 2004 and took the same position with Stanford in 2007. 

The 49ers hired Harbaugh as their head coach in 2007. He was fired in 2014 and hired as head coach at Michigan. 

During his four years with the 49ers, he led them to a record of 44-19-1 (69.5 percent), which included three playoff appearances and an NFC Championship.

At Michigan, Harbaugh’s teams have produced a record of 84-25 (77.1 percent). That includes a 1-6 record in bowl games and two trips to the College Football Playoff. 

We’ll have more on Harbaugh as the news is available.