The Indianapolis Colts may be interested in hiring Jim Harbaugh, and according to recent reports, it won’t take much to make him head coach.
Jim Harbaugh is coming off a College Football Playoff semifinals loss with the Michigan Wolverines, and there’s a growing belief that the game was Harbaugh’s last game as coach of Michigan. The reason for that belief is that several NFL teams are likely to reach out to Harbaugh to fill their head coaching vacancies. Teams like the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos have already been linked to Harbaugh.
While Harbaugh was focused on winning a National Championship, he hasn’t commented much recently on the possibility of him returning to the NFL. Obviously, Harbaugh’s interest is the most important part of the equation. According to recent reports, it seems like teams won’t have to do much convincing because Jim has a real interest to return to the NFL.
In a Monday article from The Athletic, it was reported that “Multiple sources close to Jim Harbaugh told The Athletic on Monday they expect he will leave Michigan for the NFL if a franchise offers him a coaching job.” The article said that Harbaugh’s departure from Michigan is essentially a “done deal” if an NFL team reaches out. Considering Indy’s need for a coach, and Harbaugh’s history in Indianapolis, will the Colts be the team to reach out?
Will the Colts reach out to Jim Harbaugh?
Harbaugh makes a lot of sense for Indianapolis, especially if a return to the NFL is actually what he’s looking for. Not only did Jim play with the Colts, but he’s in the team’s Ring of Honor. It would be a great story and also a good coaching decision since Harbaugh has had success at every coaching level, including the NFL.
Harbaugh has a 44-19-1 record in the NFL from his time as a head coach with the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014. That stint also included five playoff wins and a trip to the Super Bowl. In college, Harbaugh’s record is 103-46 and that includes his four seasons at Stanford and eight at Michigan. Now may be the time for his second run in the NFL.
If the Colts do go after Harbaugh, his buyout from Michigan is only $3 million. Indy’s biggest challenge to actually landing Harbaugh is other teams. It has already been reported that the Denver Broncos are reaching out to Jim, so if he is a priority for the Colts, Indy needs to begin its pursuit.
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