NFL Notes: Jim Harbaugh, Sean Payton, Zach Wilson

Jim Harbaugh

Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh has his team in the college football playoff for the second year in a row and for the second year in a row his name is coming up in NFL rumors. Harbaugh’s stock seems high enough right now that if he wanted an NFL job, he’d have options. But he seemed to shut the door on that this week. 

“That time of the year type of speculation, but I think no man knows the future,” Harbaugh said via ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren. “But I think that people that think we’ve done a good job and are pleased with the job that we’ve done here at Michigan, they’re going to be very happy to learn that we will be back enthusiastically coaching the Wolverines in 2023. And for those people that don’t approve of the job we’ve done or would rather see somebody else coaching here, I think they’ll be most likely disappointed to learn we’ll be back coaching the Wolverines and in 2023.”

Sean Payton

As we get closer and closer to the coaching cycle, there will be a ton of speculation about former Saints HC Sean Payton and if he’ll come out of retirement after just one year. Plenty of teams will want to bring him on board, but Payton can afford to be selective. It sounds like his preference is to take a job this year if one he likes opens up, however. 

“I think sooner than later,” Payton said on the Let’s Go! podcast. “I really enjoy the current job I have. . . . But I think relative to coaching, though, I know that I want to coach again and it’s not really been a secret. But I wanna find the right spot. And as Tom alluded to, you know, it’s still about the people. Because when it’s all done and it’s quiet, I don’t think it’s the money or the crowd cheers or the trophies or any of that other stuff. I think it’s about the journey with the people that you really enjoy. . . . So we’ll kind of see what happens. But sooner than later though, in fairness to that question. I think that, you know, if not this year, hopefully next year.”

• Payton also said the following about Buccaneers QB Tom Brady‘s future in sports broadcasting. Brady is a free agent this offseason: “Who says Tommy’s coming to FOX right away? Clearly, we don’t want to get another team in trouble.” (Pro Football Talk)

Zach Wilson

Jets HC Robert Saleh told reporters that he still plans to get recently benched QB Zach Wilson back in the lineup this season. 

“I’m still right there with that statement,” Saleh said, via The New York Post. “Zach’s been doing everything right. He’s been putting in the extra meeting time. He’s“ been putting in the extra work after practice, really working on trying to re-tie his fundamentals together and spending extra time.”