[Nick Baumgardner] Miami (Dolphins) could be a Harbaugh landing spot.

Submitted by BoFlex on January 31st, 2022 at 4:37 AM

Per Nick Baumgardner:

Have heard similar — Miami could be a Harbaugh landing spot. If in fact he gets an offer. He’s clearly interested in NFL reentry, as we’ve written for a while now — and we’ll see what comes/what he does. https://t.co/TeA9ruN9cr

— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) January 30, 2022

and Mark Carman (Chicago sports beatwriter):

Hearing from a reliable source Jim Harbaugh will tell the team today / tomorrow he is leaving to be the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Could have taken the Minnesota job. Preferred Miami. ( outside chance Michigan pays over the top and he stays ) but bet on Miami.

— Mark Carman (@thecarm) January 30, 2022

and Armando Salguero (Miami sports beatwriter):

Had plugged in (former) #Dolphins employee who retains connections to the team tell me last nite he expects Steve Ross will do what he can to hire Jim Harbaugh if the Michigan coach is indeed considering leaving Michigan for NFL. We'll see.

— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) January 30, 2022

 

It would seem to be a complete-180 for Miami Dolphins's owner, and Michigan alum, Stephen M. Ross's previous statement of not hiring Harbaugh away from Michigan. I guess if Harbaugh is dead-set on leaving for the NFL, Ross feels that he might as well throw his team's hat into the ring as well.

 

mackbru

January 31st, 2022 at 2:18 PM ^

You don’t understand journalism. A reputable journalist doesn’t say something is done if it’s not. Sounds like JH is talking to these teams and clearly strongly considering them. Which is what Nick, who is not known for being a rumor-monger, is reporting. He’s reporting where things stand now. That’s his job. He’s not Nostradamus. 

Booted Blue in PA

January 31st, 2022 at 9:14 AM ^

To date, the only word from JH was answering a question from a recruit's family.... "I will entertain offers from the NFL"

since then he's continued to recruit and has continued to hire staff.....   He's been invited to an interview with MN and probably will talk to Miami also....

I don't see how anything has changed since that statement with a recruit's family.   As fans tend to do, shits getting blown out of proportion, people are flying off the handle and jumping to conclusions.   I'm guessing mostly the same people who were calling for him to be fired last year.

 

Onward..... This feels like a beginning..... GO BLUE

Sopwith

January 31st, 2022 at 10:34 AM ^

Exactly. Also, where has Nick been? This might have been breaking news in December. Not now.

The Miami thing is BS (the giveaway in Carman's tweet was the bit about "Michigan could still come over the top" implying this is a bidding war... that's just so, so absurd).

The Vikings threat is real. Cross your fingers and hope DeMeco Ryans gets the nod.

JonnyHintz

January 31st, 2022 at 4:55 AM ^

So two are complete speculation and the one from Carman is complete BS.
 

Dolphins just scheduled a second interview with a different candidate. Which they wouldn’t bother doing if they’d decided on Harbaugh, which would have to happen for him to tell the team he’s leaving. 
 

Miami could be a Harbaugh landing spot. If in fact he gets an offer.

truly groundbreaking stuff there Nick. 
 

“expects Stephen Ross to do what he can if Harbaugh is considering leaving Michigan.” “Expects” based on what? Is it just his opinion that Ross will do what he can? 

badandboujee

January 31st, 2022 at 6:30 AM ^

Yea who are these random "sources" that billionaires are telling their every thought to?

My own sources are telling me that Harbaugh is set to coach the Dolphins, Vikings, and Michigan at the same time. He wants control of 3 organizations, not 1 or even 2. That's been the sticking point to negotiations thus far. Warde Manuel isn't willing to create 2 additional football teams for Harbaugh to control. #JimHarbaugh #coachingsearch #imanidiot

KzooGoBlue

January 31st, 2022 at 8:10 AM ^

"...He wants control of 3 organizations, not 1 or even 2. That's been the sticking point to negotiations thus far. Warde Manuel isn't willing to create 2 additional football teams..."

is by far my favorite take on the Harbaugh Watch 2022 yet. Thanks for the good laugh.

rc15

January 31st, 2022 at 8:08 AM ^

Baumgardner has never had inside info about Michigan. He is a very good beat writer, does good analysis, but isn't connected. His tweet pretty much says "I'm reading the same tweets the public is."

I can see Ross wanting Harbaugh to work for him instead if he is set on going to the NFL. I can also see him pushing him back to UM during that "interview". May be tinfoil hat time, but this is also the best possible situation Harbaugh could've leveraged to get players NIL money. Going to the Vikings never really made sense to me, I could see it being a play to get the lifetime contract and get Ross to commit to paying players.

Ishbia is giving every football player $500/month for MSU. That is a nice benefit for players that can definitely affect recruiting. And it's only $510k/yr for the 85 scholarship football players... If Ross is willing to throw $100M at Harbaugh, I'm sure he could be convinced to also through $1-2M towards the players each year.

rc15

January 31st, 2022 at 8:26 AM ^

$2M commitment per year is like $24k/yr per player. Imagine having a financial advisor at the BBQ at the Big House to explain to recruits (and mostly their parents) what using half of that to max out your IRAs for 4 years from 18-22 would do for your retirement... and still have $1k per month for fun money.

MightyMatt13

January 31st, 2022 at 10:17 AM ^

I find it hard to believe that Ross is running the $3b+ Dolphins like it's a middle school pick-up basketball game.

I won't be the one to take JH from Michigan (sure, fine, no one really thought he was going to get an NFL job anyways and this was cute to say)

BUT - I'll hire him IF he goes get another NFL offer! So let's just drag our feet to make sure the guy we hire is either JH, or knows he was my second choice to JH.

This would be some of the most pathetic meddling from a team's owner in a sport full of meddling team owners. And I really don't think that's who Ross is.

Stay.Classy.An…

January 31st, 2022 at 10:29 AM ^

Would it be though? I mean, you can still love your University and at the same time want to win football games for the NFL franchise that you own. Ross would be stupid not to offer Harbaugh if Minnesota does indeed make a serious play for him. Ross "taking" Harbaugh from Michigan is different than Ross "taking" Harbaugh away from the Vikings. If Harbaugh truly wants to be in the NFL and the NFL truly wants him, he will be gone. At least the guy is still doing 150% for Michigan while he is still currently our coach.

That being said, Warde needs to stop playing around with Harbaugh's money. Ishbia screwed up the whole coaching market by giving Tucker undeserved money. Harbaugh should in no way be the 3rd highest paid coach in his own DIVISION. The only coach that DESERVES more money than Harbaugh is Day. But, the market is what the market is. Stop playing around with the money, make Jim the current highest paid coach in the B1G, support NIL, work on academic standards for athletes and GET THE CONTRACT SIGNED.

 

double blue

January 31st, 2022 at 5:34 AM ^

At his point he should just get out of Ann Arbor. 
 

He’s ruined his legacy just as he was making one. 
 

there will be no statues for him in Ann Arbor. 
 

hope this doesn’t blow the team up.  
 

if he hadn’t been so “ I’d coach for free” effervescent all December this might not feel so betraying or just quit so we could have gotten a chance at a prime candidate. 
 

whatever.  See ya Jim. 

Firstbase

January 31st, 2022 at 7:29 AM ^

That's the problem with all of this. If he is actually pining for the NFL, then what motivation will he have to do an outstanding job at his alma mater when he always has one foot out the door and the recruits know it? He had his marquee season, and he's trying to leverage it, apparently. Truly an unfortunate situation for the Michigan fandom.

AgonyTrain

January 31st, 2022 at 10:58 AM ^

Sports radio in Minneapolis indicates it was a zoom call and more exploratory in nature.  Not saying he isnt going but its not like he flew out to do it in person.  If nothing else, I would expect a second interview before he gets hired.  No one is picking coaches over zoom anymore

Angry-Dad

January 31st, 2022 at 9:49 AM ^

This.  If his heart is in the NFL this will be a yearly thing which is already being used to negatively recruit.  I am still of the mind set of Gatis as HC (even if intrim) for a year.  I know it's a huge jump for his first head coaching gig but Day did it and Riley did it.  Have to say it turned out pretty well for them.  I like this group of coaches currently on staff, be a shame to lose them after one season.  

Plust this late in the cycle going to be hard to pull a grade A canidate.  Unless you think Matt Campbell is a top tier guy, I do think he would run to Ann Arbor if given the chance.

gustave ferbert

January 31st, 2022 at 10:20 AM ^

It's not a bad point about the statue thing.  Look at how this fan base eviscerates people who dedicated all they had to the university 15 years after they died. 

If Harbaugh was worried about his legacy he wouldn't choose to have that legacy judged by the impudent Michigan fanbase. 

Gree4

January 31st, 2022 at 5:36 AM ^

With San Francisco out I think you see both their DC (Vikings) and OC (Miami) gone. 
 

Thus ending our coaching saga for 2022. 

Kevin14

January 31st, 2022 at 8:55 AM ^

Idk man.  A lot of ppl clowning Baumgardner for this, but this actually is somewhat of a story.  Ross is on record as saying he's not going to be the guy taking Harbaugh from Michigan.  If there actually is interest on Ross' end, he must be convinced Harbaugh is going to the NFL at all costs.  

While a lot of the "reporters" (Mark Carmen, etc.) nowadays are willing to report on suspect info in order to be first, that is not Baumgardner's style.  His typically only passes on good  intel. 

lhglrkwg

January 31st, 2022 at 6:31 AM ^

I am hearing Tottenham Hotspur could be a landing spot for Harbaugh if he gets an offer and if he is interested in coaching in England

Source: me

Please give me retweets and likes

smitty1983

January 31st, 2022 at 6:57 AM ^

This is starting to feel like an ugly divorce, Just rip the band aid off. He clearly does not want to be at Michigan. 

 

Edit: Is he possibly waiting to announce after signing day Wednesday?

Sleepy

January 31st, 2022 at 7:07 AM ^

The worst NFL job is better than the best college job.  There's a reason no coach voluntarily leaves the NFL for college.

And Harbaugh has the 5th-best winning percentage in NFL history (four season minimum).

And none of the four dudes ahead of him have coached in the NFL since 1978.

Its not that he doesn't want to be at UM, it's that he wants back into the NFL (aka the pinnacle of his profession).