The Jim Harbaugh era in San Francisco appears to be reaching its conclusion. Will he return to college or join another NFL team?
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Whether or not the rumors that San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh was offered a lucrative contract by the Michigan Wolverines to run their college football program are true is unknown, but the fact that the school is paying the popular head coach a visit this weekend is a pretty good indication that it’s true.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the University of Michigan plans to soon talk with Harbaugh. Rapoport and Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports both report Michigan officials are in the San Francisco Bay Area this weekend. The 49ers 7-8 host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Harbaugh had been on the outs with 49ers management for the better part of the entire season – even before the team collapsed and was mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. In his first three seasons with the 49ers, Harbaugh took the team – which had not made the playoffs in nearly a decade – to three straight NFC Championship games and made the Superbowl in 2012, when they lost to the Baltimore Ravens. With a 43-19-1 regular season record, Harbaugh has the fifth best NFL winning percentage of all-time.
The Oakland Raiders are also reportedly interested in taking over Harbaugh’s contract if he is fired, but would need permission to talk to Harbaugh from the 49ers as long as he remains under contract – the University of Michigan is under no such obligation.
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