Bruce Feldman: Could Jim Harbaugh return to the NFL? 'I think it's real'

BleedGopher

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per Bruce:

What a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago, Jim Harbaugh was coming off a 2-4 season after which he took a sizable pay cut to remain the head coach of his alma mater. Fast forward a year and Harbaugh finally beat archrival Ohio State, led Michigan to its first Big Ten title in 17 years and won AP Coach of the Year honors.

And now, The Athletic is hearing rumblings, both from the NFL side and at Michigan, that Harbaugh might be tempted to leave the Wolverines to return to the NFL. “I think it’s real,” said one source this week when asked about the possibility of Harbaugh being interested in heading back to the NFL.

The Raiders head coaching job might be tough for him to say no to given his ties to the organization — he started his coaching career there in 2003 — and the fact that there’s already a solid quarterback in place in Derek Carr. He’s also friends with Raiders owner Mark Davis.

It is worth noting that the Raiders are on a three-game winning streak under interim head coach Rich Bisaccia and could become a playoff team if they beat the Chargers on Sunday. Whether Davis is looking to find a new head coach is yet to be determined.

The Bears might be another option.


Go Gophers!!
 

per Bruce:

What a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago, Jim Harbaugh was coming off a 2-4 season after which he took a sizable pay cut to remain the head coach of his alma mater. Fast forward a year and Harbaugh finally beat archrival Ohio State, led Michigan to its first Big Ten title in 17 years and won AP Coach of the Year honors.

And now, The Athletic is hearing rumblings, both from the NFL side and at Michigan, that Harbaugh might be tempted to leave the Wolverines to return to the NFL. “I think it’s real,” said one source this week when asked about the possibility of Harbaugh being interested in heading back to the NFL.

The Raiders head coaching job might be tough for him to say no to given his ties to the organization — he started his coaching career there in 2003 — and the fact that there’s already a solid quarterback in place in Derek Carr. He’s also friends with Raiders owner Mark Davis.

It is worth noting that the Raiders are on a three-game winning streak under interim head coach Rich Bisaccia and could become a playoff team if they beat the Chargers on Sunday. Whether Davis is looking to find a new head coach is yet to be determined.

The Bears might be another option.


Go Gophers!!
This feels an awful like a negotiation tactic right now for Harbaugh, but who knows.

If Harbaugh leaves, i'd guess the next coach is Fickell, Campbell, or Gattis.
 

I think he's a top-notch coach. Him moving from the Wolverines to the Vikings would help both local teams.
 

Fire up the PJ Fleck rumor thread. If it is announced Harbaugh is leaving Michigan for an NFL job at noon tomorrow, by 12:01 PM someone will post a list of candidates that Michigan will be interested in to fill their new vacancy. 2/3rd the way down that list, you will find Fleck. And, Shooter will “hear” something about mutual interest.
 

I wouldn't be surprised if he went back to the pros. He's an unpredictable guy (I wanted to say "quirky," but the connotations of that don't really fit.) and he maybe feels he has more to prove at the professional level. My question--and it should be on the top of everyone's mind--is "If he does go back to the pros, will he have sleepovers at the homes of prospective draft picks?"
 


Fire up the PJ Fleck rumor thread. If it is announced Harbaugh is leaving Michigan for an NFL job at noon tomorrow, by 12:01 PM someone will post a list of candidates that Michigan will be interested in to fill their new vacancy. 2/3rd the way down that list, you will find Fleck. And, Shooter will “hear” something about mutual interest.
And once shooter says fleck Michigan will announce someone other than fleck. It’s like clockwork
 

I think Michigan fans may rejoice at him moving on as well
 


He did everything possible at Michigan. What are the chances of returning to the Championship? I see him moving. He did what they wanted them to do....Michigan.
 




Lots of steam about Harbaugh to the Bears. I wouldn't be surprised at all.
 

It’s gotta gnaw at Jim that his brother has a Super Bowl championship and he doesn’t.
 

Really only one great season and that being this year. Recruiting however is 24/7 it seems like and therefore that has to take a toll at some point. He has decisions to make, and the NFL has to decide if he is good or not. Vegas would be a good place to coach as I would think it would be an easier sell for players to play at.
 



RAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIDEEEEERRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSS!!!!!

Book it.
 


Really only one great season and that being this year. Recruiting however is 24/7 it seems like and therefore that has to take a toll at some point.
He beat everybody but Ohio State and Michigan State. That makes it hard to have really good seasons. Finally beat OSU and made the playoffs. He had ten or more wins in four of the six full regular seasons. So, definitely not a failure. But, losing to OSU and MSU a lot hurt his reputation.

Bears and Raiders are both rumored to be going for him. I think he will go.
 


If the Vikings look for a new coach from the Big 10, I would go after Ryan Day instead of Harbaugh.
I think Ryan day is pretty overrated.
As a Vikings fan I don’t really want either of those two but would be more confident in harbaugh. Day could flame out incredibly fast. His entire offense is designed around getting guys 1 on 1 matchups and his guy winning the matchup.


against Oregon, Michigan, Clemson, and Bama…Day is 2-4 and the offense is averaging 34 points a game (still great)…but what I’m saying I don’t think he has shown me anything that tells me he is an nfl success. Against teams with comparable talent he is a .500 coach
 

...

It is worth noting that the Raiders are on a three-game winning streak under interim head coach Rich Bisaccia and could become a playoff team if they beat the Chargers on Sunday. Whether Davis is looking to find a new head coach is yet to be determined.

....
I remember Paul Allen at one point this season ridiculing the Raiders (I think it was after their Chiefs game); and then after Minnesota beat Green Bay he says "no one wants to play the Vikings right now".
I've said before, PA is a much better track announcer than he is a Vikings shill.

Anyway, I hope Harbaugh stays at Michigan. He makes a good villain and I'd like to get the Jug under his realm.
 

I think Ryan day is pretty overrated.
As a Vikings fan I don’t really want either of those two but would be more confident in harbaugh. Day could flame out incredibly fast. His entire offense is designed around getting guys 1 on 1 matchups and his guy winning the matchup.


against Oregon, Michigan, Clemson, and Bama…Day is 2-4 and the offense is averaging 34 points a game (still great)…but what I’m saying I don’t think he has shown me anything that tells me he is an nfl success. Against teams with comparable talent he is a .500 coach
I also don't really want either of them, just would prefer Day. Has some NFL background, developed QBs at Oh St and just in terms of personality not a fan of Harbaugh who even with success flamed out after 4 years in San Fran.

No doubt it would be more of a gamble to on Day, but sometimes gambles pay off big.
 

I also don't really want either of them, just would prefer Day. Has some NFL background, developed QBs at Oh St and just in terms of personality not a fan of Harbaugh who even with success flamed out after 4 years in San Fran.

No doubt it would be more of a gamble to on Day, but sometimes gambles pay off big.
Sometimes puts it generously if you see the kind of margins the house makes.

I’m not sure Ohio state quarterbacks putting up huge numbers = developing a quarterback
I will wait to see one succeed at even a medium level in the nfl before I declare a quarterback is developed
 

Sometimes puts it generously if you see the kind of margins the house makes.

I’m not sure Ohio state quarterbacks putting up huge numbers = developing a quarterback
I will wait to see one succeed at even a medium level in the nfl before I declare a quarterback is developed
Also a negative for me is that I have rooted against Harbaugh going back to when I saw him shred the Gophers in the HHH Dome some 40 years ago, then later with the Bears through his now stop in Ann Arbor.

I don't want to flip the switch.
 


Fire up the PJ Fleck rumor thread. If it is announced Harbaugh is leaving Michigan for an NFL job at noon tomorrow, by 12:01 PM someone will post a list of candidates that Michigan will be interested in to fill their new vacancy. 2/3rd the way down that list, you will find Fleck. And, Shooter will “hear” something about mutual interest.
Actually, the cult and resources of Michigan football maybe one of the few places that PJ may consider.
 


Actually, the cult and resources of Michigan football maybe one of the few places that PJ may consider.

I teed up the idea of PJ to my buddy who's the big Michigan booster and he said no way. He doesn't think Fleck's style would work there, so take that for what it's worth.

I then asked about Fickell, and he stared at me then said "A Buckeye will never coach at Michigan" (and I'm sure Fickell feels the same way).
 

Actually, the cult and resources of Michigan football maybe one of the few places that PJ may consider.
can you imagine PJ saying he wants to put RTB on the Wolverines atrocious helmets? no way in hell they'd take his schtick there. fanbase far too arrogant
 

I also don't really want either of them, just would prefer Day. Has some NFL background, developed QBs at Oh St and just in terms of personality not a fan of Harbaugh who even with success flamed out after 4 years in San Fran.

No doubt it would be more of a gamble to on Day, but sometimes gambles pay off big.
I'd probably take Harbaugh. More the CEO type which I think works better in the league. Harbaugh's flame out seemed much more due to the Niners leadership than anything. Day seems much more an OC in the league.
 






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