Even though Jim Harbaugh may not have been the one accused of stealing signals for the Michigan Wolverines, his attachment to the college football program has put him under the microscope. He won’t be coaching for the Wolverines on Saturday against the Ohio State Buckeyes, and there’s some question as to whether Harbaugh will be available for the 2024 college football season either.
So, if the NCAA eventually does decide to discipline Harbaugh further, could he turn to the NFL? Harbaugh’s potential return to the pros has been a constant question each of the past two offseasons before returning to Michigan for another run.
But a long-term suspension could lead to a different outcome for Harbaugh this offseason. Yet, there have also been indications that the NFL may not be interested in Harbaugh either. That no longer appears to be the case, according to FOX’s Jay Glazer.
“All the teams I’ve talked to say regardless of what we hear in that investigation, that’s not going to affect the way we look at Jim Harbaugh if he wants to come back and coach in the NFL.”
Jay Glazer on NFL’s interest in Jim Harbaugh
Yet, just because NFL owners may be intrigued by what the former San Francisco 49ers head coach can offer, it doesn’t mean the league office will ignore how the NCAA views Harbaugh’s ties to Michigan’s sign-stealing controversy either.
Previous indications have suggested the NFL would honor the same discipline handed down to Harbaugh, meaning if he were suspended for a full season in college, that same penalty could carry over to the pros too.
Would an NFL owner risk hiring Harbaugh, knowing the league may decide not to let him coach either? There are still plenty of questions left unanswered, but so far, it seems like Harbaugh will at least have teams interested in his services.
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