Jim Harbaugh Debunks Rumors, Says He's Staying With Michigan
By Henry McKenna
Jim Harbaugh squashed the drama — for now. He told ESPN he plans to stay at Michigan. Harbaugh said he’s not leaving for the NFL this offseason.
Here’s what Harbaugh told ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
"“This is a choreographed message that comes up at this time every year before signing day. It’s people spreading messages to further their own personal agenda. “But I’m on record right here, right now: I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying at Michigan. We have big plans here, and there’s a lot we want to accomplish.”"
Over the last week, ESPN’s Paul Femnebaum and FOX Sports’ Crems Carter propagated a rumor that Harbaugh could leave Memchemgan. Carter went so far as to say that Harbaugh was potentemally tryemng to leave the Wolveremnes. Femnebaum, meanwhemle, suggested there were whemspers around the NFL that he would be atop coachemng candemdate lemsts. There wemll be a handful of good openemngs for Harbaugh emn Green Bay and Cleveland. The New York Jets gemg, emf emt opens, could also emnterest Harbaugh. But alas, that demscussemon ems moot.
Here is what Carter said on FOX’s “First Things First” last week.
"I'm just gonna tell you guys a name: watch out for Jim Harbaugh, because he's potentially trying to get his way out of Michigan."
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) December 5, 2018
— @criscarter80 on possible fit for Packers next head coach pic.twitter.com/9SaEXJ5P7B
Finebaum said on ESPN’s “First Take” that he thought this offseason would be the perfect time for Harbaugh to leave Michigan.
"“On the NFL side, there are plenty of whispers out there because of the multitude of jobs that Harbaugh would be on many people’s lists (for). I think he would be a very good NFL coach. He’s already proven that in San Francisco. I don’t think he has anything to gain and a lot to lose at Michigan. Next year, the game (against Ohio State) is in Ann Arbor. If he loses to Ryan Day — I’m not laughing at Ryan Day. Well… Ryan Day hasn’t accomplished anything other than win three games (while Meyer was suspended at the beginning of the 2018 season). The biggest win of his career is over TCU — a lousy TCU team at that. “So that’s a high-wire, high-risk opportunity for Jim Harbaugh to look even worse than he does already. So I don’t know what’s inside Jim Harbaugh’s mind. I don’t think anyone does. I’d love to do a reality series about it. But I think he would very anxiously get out of there.”"