Jim Harbaugh Told Michigan Recruit He'll 'Entertain' NFL Head Coaching Jobs
January 8, 2022
After a strong showing in the 2021 season, Michigan Wolverines head football coach Jim Harbaugh is once again an attractive candidate for NFL head coaching openings.
It sounds like Harbaugh is open to the idea of returning to the NFL, too. He reportedly told an incoming Michigan recruit that he will at least "entertain" offers from NFL teams this offseason.
Larry Clemons, father of 4-star wide receiver Darrius Clemons, told 247Sports' Sam Webb that Harbaugh was honest with them about the possibility of taking a new position. Darrius Clemons committed to the Wolverines on Dec. 15.
"He said that he'll entertain (it)," Larry Clemons said (h/t Sports Illustrated). "He was up front with us about that. I had Coach Harbaugh speak to my pastor. They had a good conversation. Our pastor asked him about that, and that's just that's the (reply) that he gave him.
"I have no choice but to respect a coach if he's up front with us like that," he continued. "So, I respect him for that. ... By him saying stuff like that I was like, ‘We can't pick a school because of a coach.’ We learned that from the Oregon (coaching change)."
Harbaugh led Michigan to the Big Ten championship this season, defeating Iowa 42-3 in the title game. The Wolverines lost to Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinal to finish the year with a 12-2 record.
The Athletic's Bruce Feldman reported earlier this week that sources have told him Harbaugh could be interested in jumping to the NFL this offseason.
Prior to coaching at Michigan, Harbaugh was head coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014 and led the team to a 44-19-1 record, three straight NFC championship games and an appearance in Super Bowl XLVII.