The New York Jets are in need of a head coach, and they have their sights set on Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh. Can they lure him back to the NFL?
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has taken every opportunity to make it clear he is not leaving Michigan.
That isn’t stopping the New York Jets from trying to pry him away from his alma mater, however, according to Pro Football Talk.
They are expected to part ways with coach Todd Bowles after a third straight season with double-digit losses.
PFT reports the Jets would try to make Harbaugh an offer he couldn’t refuse. Harbaugh is the second-highest paid college coach, trailing only Alabama’s Nick Saban, with a $7.54 million annual salary.
Could a salary increase to around $10 million be enough to coax Harbaugh out of Michigan and to the Jets with the allure of coaching Sam Darnold?
In one sense, Harbaugh has little reason to make a jump back to the NFL. He’s making great money, he gets to be close to his parents, he doesn’t need to worry about his job security or pesky general managers or owners meddling in his business.
Although the biggest reason he could decide to leave Michigan for the Jets or any NFL job would be the challenge of coaching the best players at the highest level. He had success with the San Francisco 49ers, including a Super Bowl appearance, and he could be itching to return to the unfinished business he left in the pro ranks.
Harbaugh would certainly be an exciting hire for the Jets if it happens and inspire the fans who are hungry for a winner.
The thing is, does Harbaugh want the Jets? He says he doesn’t want to leave Michigan, but as we know all too well, life is always subject to change.