Fresh off of a trip to the College Football Playoff, Jim Harbaugh appears to have his sights set on making a return to the NFL. Now, a team in search of a head coach reportedly has Harbaugh on its radar.
The Vikings have requested permission to interview Harbaugh for its head coaching vacancy, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The league office is waiting for the formal paperwork required for all head coaching interviews, per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.
New Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah worked with Harbaugh when the coach was with the 49ers and Adofo-Mensah worked in San Francisco's front office in research and development. The pair reportedly had a strong working relationship during that time, which has played a key role in Harbaugh’s interest in the position.
Harbaugh enjoyed his best season since taking over at Michigan, guiding the Wolverines to a 12–2 record, a win over Ohio State and a Big Ten championship before losing to Georgia in the Orange Bowl.
Harbaugh received a contract extension before the 2021 season, but at a reduced annual rate that was roughly half of what he made the season prior. He received sizable bonuses for his team's performance in 2021, though donated that money to Michigan athletic department staffers who had to take reduced wages during the pandemic.
Harbaugh guided the 49ers to a 44-19-1 combined record in his four years with the team, making the NFC championship game in each of his first three seasons along with an appearance in Super Bowl XLVII, where they lost to the Ravens.
