Michigan Offers Jim Harbaugh Massive Contract With No-NFL Clause, per Report

The Wolverines’ contract offer addresses the coach’s dalliance with NFL teams about their head coaching vacancies.

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has the Wolverines in the College Football Playoff for the third consecutive season, and the school reportedly wants to secure his services for the long haul.

To wit, the school is offering Harbaugh a 10-year, $125 million contract extension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Importantly, the offer contains a clause stipulating that Harbaugh not seek or entertain NFL coaching offers for the 2024 season.

Harbaugh boasts an 87–25 record in nine seasons at Michigan, his alma mater. That mark includes a 13–0 record this year, although he served two three-game suspensions during the regular season.

Michigan reportedly has offered Jim Harbaugh a $125 million contract extension, but the offer requires him to commit to the Wolverines :: Trevor Ruszkowski / USA TODAY Sports

Harbaugh’s current contract runs through the 2026 season, but the Wolverines coach is mentioned annually in connection to NFL coaching jobs. He interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos in recent years. Michigan previously offered Harbaugh a five-year contract extension worth $55 million, Sports Illustrated’s Richard Johnson reported earlier this month.

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Harbaugh is one of the few head coaches to enjoy success at both the college and NFL levels. He guided the San Francisco 49ers to a 44–19–1 record and a Super Bowl appearance in four seasons prior to his tenure in Ann Arbor. Harbaugh also turned around a moribund Stanford program, guiding the Cardinal to a 29–21 record in four seasons from 2007 through ’10.

Harbaugh earned $8,254,600 in compensation this season from Michigan, not counting postseason incentives, which ranked 12th in the nation among college football coaches, according to USA Today’s salary database. His 2023 base salary is $7.63 million, and he can earn up to $3 million in postseason incentives.

Harbaugh recently said he would be willing to accept a lower salary if it meant players could be paid.

“For the players to be compensated, I’m using my voice, and I would take less money for the players to have a share,” Harbaugh told reporters on Nov. 26. “I hope other coaches would use their voice to express the same thing.”