Michigan 'unlikely' to offer Jim Harbaugh new contract amid NFL interest?

It sounds as if the Michigan Wolverines won't match an offer for head coach Jim Harbaugh if a team tries to lure him back to the NFL.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Thursday that "Michigan is unlikely to issue (Harbaugh) a new contract until there's some clarity in the current NCAA case, according to sources. That could take weeks, at a minimum, if the sides could all work toward a negotiated resolution." 

Thamel was referring to a story shared by Adam Rittenberg and Mark Schlabach of ESPN last week that mentioned the NCAA is investigating Michigan football regarding alleged violations during the COVID-19 recruiting dead period. 

"Considering that the negotiated resolution could include a Level I violation for Harbaugh, who might end up being alleged with obstructing an investigation, that's not likely to play out quickly," Thamel continued. "If it's indeed a Level I violation, Harbaugh could face a multiple-game suspension." 

Harbaugh signed a reworked contract with Michigan last winter that contains relatively inexpensive buyout clauses. Those clauses theoretically would make it easy for him to return to the NFL at any point before the deal's expiration after the 2026 season. The 59-year-old reportedly had a virtual interview with the Denver Broncos on Monday, and Thamel noted that "Harbaugh has been engaged with the Broncos, who are underway on a process that should take more than a week to unfold." 

The Broncos supposedly have former New Orleans Saints coach and current Fox Sports NFL analyst Sean Payton atop their list of candidates. It's been suggested that Payton could head to the Arizona Cardinals over Denver, in part because he potentially could have input in the selection of a new general manager in Arizona following the departure of Steve Keim. A different story said Harbaugh could pick the Indianapolis Colts over the Broncos if Indianapolis reaches out to him. 

Harbaugh played for the Colts during the 1990s. 

Harbaugh said last week that "no one knows what the future holds" as it pertains to his coaching career, but it appears that the loss to the TCU Horned Frogs in the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff may have been his last game in charge of the Wolverines.