Jim Harbaugh contract update: ‘You want to be somewhere where you’re wanted’

Today, we got a bit of insight into where things stand regarding the Jim Harbaugh contract talks. After the Wolverines killed Minnesota on the road, improving to 6-0 on the year and maintaining their No. 2 ranking heading into Week 7, the 9th-year Michigan football head coach explained that he — like everyone else in this world — desires to be somewhere that he is wanted.

Jim Harbaugh contract update

Jim Harbaugh and the University of Michigan’s leadership have been in talks of getting him a new contract; after all, if anyone deserves a blank check right now, it’s Harbaugh. Michigan football is 31-3 with two Big Ten titles, CFP appearances, and more over the past two and a half years, yet Jim Harbaugh is still not among the top 10 highest-paid head coaches in college football.

Michigan football head coach wants to feel “wanted” in Ann Arbor

After Harbaugh flirted with the NFL in back-to-back offseasons, pretty much everyone is calling on the school to give the legendary Michigan football head coach whatever he wants to stay with the Wolverines following the 2023 season. Today, Jim Harbaugh explained that, like anyone else in the workforce, he wants to be somewhere where he feels wanted.

“Yeah, I mean, like anybody, you want to be somewhere where you’re wanted,” Harbaugh said on Monday. “And they like what you do and how you do it, and then your bosses tell you that, and then that gets reflected in a contract. But the bottom line — any of us, we want to be somewhere where they like how you do it and what you do.”

Does Jim Harbaugh feel wanted by Michigan football?

But does Jim Harbaugh feel wanted by Michigan football? According to him, the answer is yes.

“Yeah, I do (feel wanted at Michigan),” Jim Harbaugh said. “I mean, that’s been a kind of a three-and-a-half-year thing about what that is so, it essentially gets put into a contract. I mean, I’m not gonna say that anymore clearly, I’m definitely open to that. I think I’ve shown that through the years. But, that’s like anybody, man, I’m concentrating and focused on having a good practice today. We’ve got a team meeting coming up, and we’re gonna practice. It’s just coach the team time when you’re in the middle of the season.”

Wolverines need to prioritize keeping Harbaugh into 2024

For the time being, it doesn’t seem like a new contract will be settled on during the season; however, the second that Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines are done for the year, Warde Manel (Athletic Director) and Santa Ono (President) need to have a blank check and a notepad for a list of demands on Harbaugh’s desk. Like always, the NFL will be interested, and in order to keep momentum and spirits high as the Big Ten expands, Michigan needs to shut down the rumors of Harbaugh leaving as soon as possible.

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