Panthers Owner Spoke With Jim Harbaugh About Coaching Job, per Report

It was reportedly not a formal interview.

Panthers owner David Tepper has spoken with Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh about the team’s head coaching position, according to The Athletic’s Joe Person. The news was first reported by Will Kunkel of Charlotte Sports Live, who also reported that it was not an interview and that the team’s coaching search won’t formally start until after the season. 

Carolina fired coach Matt Rhule in October after starting the season 1–4. He was with the team for almost three seasons and posted an 11–27 record. The Panthers are currently 6–10 with one game left in the season. 

According to a Sunday report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, the Broncos are also “doing homework” on Harbaugh ahead of their own coaching search. Per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, Denver already has reached out to Harbaugh to inform him of the team’s interest in discussing the job.

Harbaugh, 59, had a 44-19-1 record as the 49ers’ coach from 2011 to ’14 and led the organization to the NFC championship game three times. He also guided San Francisco to Super Bowl XLVII in the 2012 season.

He started his tenure as the Wolverines’ coach in 2015 and has a 74–25 record at his alma mater. Michigan went 13–1 this season, culminating with Saturday’s 51–45 loss in the College Football Playoff semifinals to TCU.

Harbaugh interviewed for the Vikings’ coaching job last year and subsequently said he wouldn’t consider returning to the NFL again.