Jim Harbaugh addresses report about contract offer being rescinded

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh watches warmups before a game against Northern Illinois at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.

A new report claims Michigan has rescinded a contract offer they had on the table for Jim Harbaugh, and the head coach has addressed the latest wrinkle in what has become a major scandal.

Andrew Beaton and Rachel Bachman of the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Michigan has rescinded a contract offer that would have made Harbaugh the highest-paid coach in the Big Ten. The decision was supposedly made after the new sign-stealing allegations against the Wolverines came to light.

Harbaugh met with the media on Monday. The first question he was asked was whether the Wall Street Journal report was accurate. He refuted it without going into detail.

“I wouldn’t say that’s accurate, no,” Harbaugh said. “The university has a policy on contracts and publicly talking about them.”

Harbaugh also predictably avoided questions about the sign-stealing scandal. The 59-year-old said he has a “one-track mind” and is not worried about any NCAA investigations at the moment. You can see some of the press conference below:

Jim Harbaugh says reports about his contract being "rescinded" are not accurate. He also took several questions about the ongoing NCAA investigaton.#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/HxljIEls7B

— The Winged Helmet (@TWH_Chris) October 30, 2023

Earlier this month, it was reported that Michigan was pursuing a new contract for Harbaugh. The NCAA’s ongoing investigation into recruiting violations was previously viewed as a complicating factor in those contract negotiations. The sign-stealing allegations are an even bigger issue, so it would not be a surprise if Michigan pulled its extension offer for the time being.

Harbaugh has denied having any knowledge of Michigan illegally stealing signs, but the evidence against the program looks very damning.