DETROIT — If Jim Harbaugh wants to go to the NFL, he should go. If the Vikings want to take him, they should take him. No begging or cajoling required, for Michigan or Minnesota. The NFL question always was going to exist, ever since Harbaugh returned to his alma mater seven years ago.
But make no mistake, if Harbaugh leaves, it's not the ideal outcome for anyone. Certainly not for Michigan, which would have to make a quick, critical hire. Not necessarily for Harbaugh, who would be entering a cauldron of uncertainty with the rebuilding Vikings, while the NFL is facing a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by fired Dolphins coach Brian Flores.
And I'm not sure it's the ideal situation for the Vikings, who would be hiring a polarizing coach — albeit a highly successful one — shortly after they reportedly spent nine hours interviewing a Black candidate, Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. The timing of the bombshell Flores suit cannot be ignored.
The Vikings just hired a first-time GM, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who reportedly has encountered resistance to Harbaugh from the franchise's ownership group. He's 61-24 at Michigan with one Big Ten championship. He coached the 49ers to a 44-19-1 record and three NFC championship games from 2011-14, then left amid discord with the front office.
Questions abound
Does that mean it's wrong for Harbaugh to leave or the Vikings to hire him? Nope. It just means it's fraught with more questions than some might realize. The timing, created by the NFL's protracted hiring period and mostly out of Harbaugh's control, isn't good. The optics of Harbaugh interviewing in Minnesota on Wednesday, national signing day in college football, aren't great either, but mostly irrelevant. The main signing date is in December and the Wolverines had no plans to add anybody.
Michigan AD Warde Manuel obviously has contingency plans. Some of the plans might even be warmly embraced by the Michigan fandom. But if people think the program won't be damaged at all by a sudden Harbaugh departure, they're being naïve. Or arrogant.
Could an internal candidate make a successful leap? It's possible. Offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, 38, and running backs coach Mike Hart, 35, are highly respected and would be options. A job like Michigan can swallow less-experienced people, but maintaining continuity, especially with the staff, after going 12-2 and making the playoff is important too.
Big-name possibilities — Panthers coach Matt Rhule, Iowa State's Matt Campbell, Cincinnati's Luke Fickell, Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien — should be explored. At this late date, it's unclear who would be available.
No one is fooling anyone here. Manuel knew this was possible, and I bet he'd gladly accept the uncertainty in exchange for that Big Ten title, the program's first in 17 years. There's unease in Ann Arbor and it's justified. Anger is far less justified.
Harbaugh has been upfront with Michigan and recruits, according to several reports. He has said he'd explore the NFL, and after a few false alarms, an NFL team is exploring him. This has not been a protracted interview tour. Instead, Harbaugh has made numerous recruiting trips across the country the past few weeks.
There were sketchy purported connections to the Raiders, Dolphins and Bears, none of it rooted in substantive talks. The Vikings are Harbaugh's first NFL interview, and you'd expect a decision to come relatively quickly.
If he leaves, I don't think it's out of spite, or perceived lack of support from the administration and fans. He's been paid well and afforded all sorts of amenities. He famously wears down those that work for him, and seven seasons is by far the longest he has stayed anywhere.
For those offended Harbaugh is even considering another place, I'd remind them Bo Schembechler once nearly bolted for Texas A&M. I remember when Tom Izzo spent more than a week mulling a job with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010, but rightly returned unscathed.
Would it be awkward now for Harbaugh to return to Ann Arbor? No more awkward than when he returned with a scaled-down contract. Harbaugh knows awkward well.
One year ago, after a 2-4 pandemic season, Michigan was ready to move on, and so apparently was Harbaugh. To completely judge any coach on one muddled season is short-sighted, but he was judged on six seasons, an 0-5 record against Ohio State and no Big Ten titles. His base salary was sliced in half, although he made up most of the shortfall with a superb rebound, then donated $2-plus million in bonuses back to the athletic department. The Wolverines went 12-2, beat Ohio State, crushed Iowa for the Big Ten title and reached the playoff for the first time.
The winds of endorsement shift erratically and dramatically in sports, and Manuel recognized it a year ago. A reduced contract made sense at the time. Harbaugh recognizes the opportunity now, and at 58, taking another shot at the NFL also might make sense. He found no interest a year ago and has stirred some now.
Graham or Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell, who both interviewed twice with the Vikings, would be safer choices. After years of middling success, the Vikings might be interested in taking a bolder leap. Like many in the NFL, they probably were stunned by the depth of the Flores lawsuit. They're reportedly vetting Harbaugh's reputation for being difficult to rein in, and I assume he'd accept if offered.
Unfinished business?
They have a lot to consider, and so does Harbaugh. Maybe the 34-11 playoff loss to Georgia convinced him how far the Wolverines still have to go. The school's administration is in disarray, with a new president coming, and Michigan trails others in utilizing the transfer portal and NIL opportunities.
Harbaugh has indicated he has unfinished business in the NFL, and his record was remarkable, losing to his brother John and the Ravens in the 2013 Super Bowl. But he also has unfinished business at Michigan. He's 3-4 against MSU and 1-5 against OSU with one title. Is the program in better shape than what he inherited from Brady Hoke? Oh my goodness yes, it's silly to even ask. He has four double-digit victory totals in six full seasons and Michigan just finished third in the country.
The Wolverines also return a lot of talent, especially on offense, including the five-star quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, that Harbaugh always lacked. With an advantageous schedule, Big Ten contention should be expected again.
Oddly, that might make it easier for Harbaugh to leave, knowing he set up the next coach pretty well. Ann Arbor is home to his family and I do believe he loves it there. He also craves a Super Bowl, and perhaps is bruised by the criticism and quietly annoyed by the pay cut. Only Harbaugh knows, and he never says much. There's not a ton to say, which is why the debate over has future has been mostly low-key. No begging or demanding, either way.
If he truly wants to go, he should go. In all fairness, he should not feel pushed.
