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Report: Michigan has discussed contract extension with Jim Harbaugh with reduced salary
By Paul Harvey
Published:
It sounds like the ball may be in Jim Harbaugh’s court regarding his current contract situation.
A lot has been made about the fact that Harbaugh entered 2020 without an extension to his contract that was set to expire after 2021. If this was a make or break year for Harbaugh in Ann Arbor, it hasn’t gone well, to say the least.
Michigan has once again struggled, losing to in-state rival Michigan State and entering The Game against Ohio State as a near-historic underdog in terms of the spread.
Now, it is being reported Monday that Michigan has indeed discussed an extension for Harbaugh, but those discussions have come with a catch. According to author John U Bacon, Michigan AD Warde Manuel has discussed an extension for Harbaugh that would come with a reduced annual salary and reduced buyout numbers.
However, the flip side of that is the contract would include good provisions to hire elite assistants and large incentives based on performance. According to Bacon’s report, a number of NFL teams have also reached out to Harbaugh, though it is unclear the level of interest among those teams.
Now, it sounds like Harbaugh can push back on the reported offer, accept it, or pursue the NFL instead:
Harbaugh can now accept, negotiate, or decline. At least five NFL teams have expressed an interest in hiring him – per usual – though not clear if any have made firm offers yet. (2/2)
— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) December 8, 2020
Where will Harbaugh end up to start 2021?
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.