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.
