Michigan is a day away from taking on Alabama in the Rose Bowl for a spot in the national championship. However, the Jim Harbaugh-to-the-NFL rumors continue to swirl, and the latest news may give a clearer picture about the head coach's next destination.
ESPN's Adam Schefter and Pete Thamel reported late on Saturday night that Harbaugh has a new agent: Don Yee. The 63-year-old sports executive has plenty of ties to the NFL in his client base, including Broncos head coach Sean Payton and legendary quarterback Tom Brady.
The news comes about a week after there were reports that Michigan offered Harbaugh a new contract extension, a 10-year deal worth $125 million. There was a reported clause in the proposed agreement that would prohibit the coach from taking a job in the NFL for the 2024 season, only adding to the fire of a potential return to the professional ranks.
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It's been an eventful 2023 for Harbaugh. The Wolverines head coach has been involved in two investigations within the program, including a probe into 2020 recruiting violations and a sign-stealing scandal. Both resulted in the Michigan alum's absence on the sidelines for multiple games to start and end the regular season.
No. 1 Michigan is set to face No. 4 Alabama at 5 p.m. ET on Monday in the Rose Bowl.
Why Jim Harbaugh hired agent Don Yee
Harbaugh has been connected to NFL jobs for the past couple of seasons. In 2021, he interviewed for the Vikings job before Kevin O'Connell was hired. Last offseason, he reportedly had discussions about openings with the Broncos and Panthers.
While it's still uncertain if Harbaugh would leave his alma mater after taking over the program in 2015, the hiring of Yee certainly points in that direction. Yee is known for having a number of NFL clients, including Payton, Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and most notably, Brady, who was his first big-time client.
So the fact that Harbaugh is hiring an agent known to have high-profile NFL clientele does not look good about the potential of re-signing with Michigan.
It's unclear when Yee was hired by Harbaugh, and if he had any involvement in the previously reported contract offer from the university. The Wolverines head coach was not asked about the hire in his final press conference on Sunday before the Rose Bowl.
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If Harbaugh does decide to return to the NFL, there will be a number of teams that could be interested in the services of the former 49ers head coach.
The Chargers, Raiders and Panthers made midseason coaching changes and will be looking to make full-time hires this offseason. The Commanders, Falcons and Bears, among others, could also be looking for new coaches once the season ends.
