Jim Harbaugh on Wednesday offered a humorous response to all the rumors linking him to NFL jobs.
Harbaugh just completed his seventh season as the head coach at Michigan. He began his time with the Wolverines under great hype and fanfare. Though he got off to a strong start with consecutive 10-3 seasons, it didn’t take long for people to declare he was underperforming.
Many critics soon started calling for the Wolverines to dump their head coach, and the chorus continued for a few years.
Things got even worse when Michigan went 2-4 in the messy, COVID-shortened 2020 season, but Michigan agreed to keep Harbaugh, albeit after he took a pay cut. In 2021, their patience with the coach paid off.
Harbaugh finally beat Ohio State for the first time, won the Big Ten for the first time, and helped Michigan reach its first College Football Playoff. All the success the Wolverines have enjoyed have led to renewed Harbaugh-to-the-NFL rumors.
“It’s a little more enjoyable this year compared to the rumors last year,” Harbaugh joked while talking at a press event for the Bear Bryant Award.
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, in #Houston for @bryantawards Paul 'Bear' Bryant Award #BryantAwards, on the NFL coaching rumor mill:
"It's a little more enjoyable this year compared to the rumors last year, so…"
via @OpportuneLLP @American_Heart press junket. pic.twitter.com/7UBNleK9Bv
— Jason Bristol (@JBristolKHOU) January 12, 2022
He’s right. It’s much better to have people trying to hire you rather than fire you.
Truthfully, any notions of firing Harbaugh were misguided. The man has a proven record of winning everywhere he’s been. Few can match the amount of success he has had both in college and the pros, and at every stop they’ve been.
Whether or not Harbaugh leaves Michigan remains to be seen. If he does leave, we would expect great results. If he stays, we would expect continued winning from the Wolverines.
H/T The Spun
Photo: Aug 31, 2019; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh before the game against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
