Despite his recent statement where Jim Harbaugh noted that he “expects” to continue coaching the Michigan Wolverines in 2023, he hasn’t shot down the idea of rejoining the NFL either. Don’t expect such rumors to go away any time soon with ‘Black Monday’ approaching, where teams routinely let head coaches go following the final week of the regular season.
Instead, the Harbaugh to the NFL rumors only figure to continue building momentum. This is in addition to the Carolina Panthers, who have already spoken with the current Michigan coach. While other reports suggest Harbaugh to the NFL is already a ‘done deal‘, pending any NFL offer, recent reports have hinted that securing another job at the pro level may not be as easy as we think.
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Jim Harbaugh’s more interested in Carolina Panthers than they are in him
The latest news reveals that the Panthers, who, as we mentioned, have already touched base with Harbaugh, may not be too interested in his services.
According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, it was actually Harbaugh who reached out to Carolina, not the other way around. In fact, Harbaugh had been reaching out to team owner David Tepper on a consistent basis before Tepper gave in and held a conversation with the former San Francisco 49ers head coach.
This is a fascinating development for a coach who continues to say all the right, politically correct answers when speaking with the media regarding not wanting to leave Michigan. Yet, his actions suggest something much different.
It’s as if Harbaugh can’t wait to return to the NFL.
While Harbaugh never officially interviewed with the Panthers, it appears Carolina will take its coaching search in a different direction, choosing to avoid Harbaugh altogether. This could be due to Harbaugh allegedly rubbing some the wrong way after his interview with the Minnesota Vikings during last season’s hiring cycle, where the coach’s behavior was described as “odd.”
Meanwhile, we’ve since learned that the Panthers are set to interview former Lions coach Jim Caldwell and former Colts coach Frank Reich once they begin their coaching search later this offseason. The Panthers are said to be prioritizing an offensive-minded coach after moving on from Matt Rhule.
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