Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

NFL coaching odds: Will Jim Harbaugh be the Panthers' next head coach?

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 11/29/23

We know, we know. The college football season isn't over and Jim Harbaugh isn't going to potentially leave Michigan and coach a pro team until it is.

But logic like that hasn't stopped oddsmakers from speculating whether he will return to the NFL sidelines next season — especially when teams are relieving HCs of their duties in the second half of the season.

Such is the case this week as the Carolina Panthers relieved Frank Reich of his head-coaching duties and the hunt for the next full-time HC gets underway.

What are the odds that the khaki-clad play-caller gets the nod from owner David Tepper to be the next head coach in Charlotte?

Panthers’ owner David Tepper on what he’s looking for in a new head coach: “I would like someone to be here 20, 30 years. I’d like have someone say the eulogy at my funeral in 30 years. OK, maybe 40 years.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 28, 2023

According to oddsmakers at SportsLine , Harbaugh is relatively favored to be the next full-time head coach of the Carolina Panthers at 5-1 odds. Only Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson (5-2) and Harbaugh's former Michigan DC Mike Macdonald (4-1) have shorter odds.

Surprisingly, interim head coach Chris Tabor doesn't make SportsLine's list of candidates with good odds of getting the gig.

New #Panthers head coach Chris Tabor is ELECTRIC ON THE SIDELINE

Remind me of someone….
pic.twitter.com/gL008nScyL
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) November 28, 2023

Of course, asking Harbaugh to be around for 20 years is a big ask. Heck, asking any coach to stick around that long is a lot. Keep in mind that Bill Belichick has been coaching the New England Patriots since 2000 and might not still be there had they not clinched 17 AFC East titles and won six Super Bowls. (And even with all of that, Belichick is still in the hot seat this season because the Pats are 2-9 on the season and haven't won a playoff round since 2018.)

In the meantime, you can still catch Harbaugh on the sidelines of an NFL field even though he isn't coaching a pro team at the moment. His Michigan Wolverines face the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Champions game at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts. The Wolverines are 22-point favorites at DraftKings to win that game.

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