Two NFL teams reportedly eyeing Jim Harbaugh for head coach

Given his troubles with the NCAA this season, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh bolted back to the NFL.

The college football season isn’t over yet, and Harbaugh already has interest from two NFL teams — one that already fired its head coach midseason and another with a head coach very much on the hot seat — according to NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

“Let’s just start with Carolina, alright?” Russini said Wednesday on “The Herd.” “…David Tepper makes that firing last week with Frank Reich now out. If you remember, Tepper and Harbaugh had conversations last year. It obviously didn’t pan out, but this was something that they discussed. So that’s a name I’m hearing again.”

The Panthers, who fired Reich following a 17-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans over the weekend, reportedly want his replacement to be someone who can mentor 22-year-old quarterback Bryce Young, who ranks 24th in the NFL in touchdown passes (nine), 29th in completion percentage (61.7) and 31st in passing yards per game (187.7) and passer rating (74.9).

Harbaugh, who played 14 NFL seasons as a QB himself, has a reputation for being a quarterback guru. His notable success stories include Rich Gannon (2002 NFL MVP, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl) Alex Smith (2013 Pro Bowler), Andrew Luck (two-time First-Team All-American, two-time Pac 12 Player of the Year, former No. 1 overall pick) and J.J. McCarthy (2023 First-Team All-Big Ten, projected 2024 first-round pick)

“The Chicago Bears are another organization I have heard has had some conversations about that, depending on what decision they make with this coaching staff that is in place and, of course, what they do with that quarterback situation,” Russini added.

A reunion with Harbaugh, whom the Bears selected 26th overall in the 1987 draft, makes sense regardless of whether the team keeps Justin Fields or trades him and uses its first-round pick on either USC’s Caleb Williams or North Carolina’s Drake Maye.

While Matt Eberflus is still Chicago’s head coach, the belief is he’s coaching for his job with the 4-8 Bears sitting in last place in the NFC North.

Harbaugh coached the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014. When he took over, they were a 6-10 team, but they won 13 games in his first season and earned their first division championship in eight years. Harbaugh had a 44-19-1 record in four seasons in San Francisco with three playoff appearances, three NFC Championship Game appearances and one Super Bowl appearance.