Jim Harbaugh On NFL Rumors: "I Expect That I Will Be Enthusiastically Coaching Michigan In 2023"
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Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh released a statement on Thursday afternoon in response to a report from earlier this week that suggested he would jump to the NFL this offseason if offered the opportunity.
"I am aware of the rumors and speculation over the past few days. College and NFL teams have great interest in all our personnel, from players to coaches to staff, and I truly believe that is a testament to the strength of our University of Michigan football program," Harbaugh said.
"As I stated it December while no one knows what the future holds, I expect that I will be enthusiastically coaching Michigan in 2023. I have spoken with (university) president Santa Ono and athletic director Warde Manuel and appreciate their support of me and our program.
"Our mission as Wolverines continues, and we are preparing for the 2023 season with great passion and enthusiasm. As our legendary coach Bo Schembechler once said, those who stay will be champions."
On Monday, The Athletic cited a source saying it was a “done deal” that Harbaugh would leave his alma mater for the NFL, with the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts – for whom he played four seasons – among those interested in his services.
Harbaugh, who is 74-25 with two Big Ten titles and two College Football Playoff appearances in eight seasons at Michigan, went 49-22-1 as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-14, including three NFC Championship Game appearances and a trip to Super Bowl XLVII.
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The 59-year-old interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings last year, but was not offered the job. He received a significant raise from the Wolverines and reportedly told Manuel he would stay in Ann Arbor as long as they’ll have him.
“I called Warde and I asked him if he wanted me to be the head coach. And he said, ‘Yes, 100 percent.’ And I said, ‘OK then. That’s what I want to do,’” Harbaugh told the Detroit Free Press last February. “And I told him, ‘Warde, this will not be a reoccurring theme every year. This was a one-time thing.’”
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