Jim Harbaugh remains in contract negotiations with Michigan even as he explores potential NFL opportunities, and the coach reportedly wants one very notable clause in his new deal if he decides to remain where he is.
According to a fresh report from Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports, Harbaugh is requesting immunity from being fired for cause as a result of any ongoing NCAA investigation into the Michigan football team.
The NCAA is still looking into Michigan’s purportedly unlawful scouting operation, which was run by Connor Stalions, a former employee. Additionally, Harbaugh has not been subject to any NCAA disciplinary action despite it being proven that, during an investigation into several Level II breaches that happened in 2020 and 2021, he misled to investigators (a Level I violation). Regarding the latter case, Harbaugh is purported to have lied about whether or not he fed hamburgers to recruiters while they were there.
Harbaugh was suspended for the first three games of the 2023 season, but that ban was self-imposed by Michigan. He then served a three-game suspension to close out the season in a penalty that was imposed by the Big Ten, not the NCAA.
According to Wetzel, Harbaugh requests protection from termination for any reason related to the aforementioned situations. In addition, the 60-year-old coach wants a clause in his contract that specifies the kind of punishment Michigan will impose on him should he commit any Level I or Level II infractions in the future.
In the unlikely event that Michigan wishes to terminate Harbaugh for reason, the coach would have it stipulated in his contract that an arbitration panel consisting of three members, not the athletic director of the university, would decide his destiny.
But that’s not all. If Harbaugh does sign an extension with Michigan, he does not want it to begin until Feb. 15. That is because his current buyout is just $1.5M, so he wants the low buyout figure to remain in place until the current NFL hiring cycle concludes.
Michigan desires to retain Harbaugh in spite of the ongoing investigations by the NCAA. The Wolverines have extended a six-year contract to Harbaugh, which would bring his yearly salary to $11.5 million, making him the highest-paid college football coach.
Harbaugh may see going back to Michigan as a backup plan because he has already met with one NFL team and may have additional interviews. In the interim, he is attempting to extract as much as possible from his present employment.
