Jim Harbaugh listed among betting favorites to land vacant NFL gig

Roll out a 2-4 season including a loss to a previously winless Penn State and, if you’re Jim Harbaugh, it might just land you in the NFL.

Harbaugh, it turns out, is a favorite to become the next head coach of the Detroit Lions.

The Lions fired head coach Matt Patricia as well as general manager Bob Quinn on Saturday with some buzz that Harbaugh, despite a rocky season at Michigan, is a favorite for the head coaching job. Harbaugh, despite a disappointing 49-22 record at Michigan and a woeful 1-4 record in bowl games, is still a coach who would be in demand should he leave Ann Arbor.

On Saturday, Harbaugh’s Wolverines lost to Penn State, who came into the game 0-5 and borderline dysfunctional.

His four seasons in the NFL, ending in 2014, saw him take the San Francisco 49ers to three playoff appearances including Super Bowl XLVII (where they lost to the Baltimore Ravens). His regular season record of 44-19 would certainly raise an eyebrow or two with the decision makers for the Lions.

According to BetOnline.ag, he has the fourth-best odds to become the next full-time head coach of the Lions:

Next Lions Head Coach Hired (not interim)                            

Robert Saleh                             11/2

Eric Bieniemy                            6/1

Lincoln Riley                             13/2

Jim Harbaugh                            7/1

Kellen Moore                            15/2

Darrell Bevell                            8/1

Byron Leftwich                          10/1

Dan Mullen                                12/1

Josh McDaniels                         12/1

Kevin O’Connell                         12/1

Matt Campbell                           12/1

Arthur Smith                              14/1

Dabo Swinney                           14/1

Matt Eberflus                            14/1

Nick Saban                               14/1

Joe Brady                                 16/1