On January 16, we learned that Jim Harbaugh would return to the University of Michigan as head football coach of the Wolverines. Since then, though, Harbaugh had at least one meeting with an NFL team.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter detailed on Saturday that Harbaugh and the Denver Broncos had a follow-up meeting after their original interview.
“Broncos owner Greg Penner and University of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh met last week in Ann Arbor to discuss Denver’s head coaching position without any deal materializing, league sources told ESPN,” Schefter reported. “Although Harbaugh two weeks ago announced he was staying at Michigan, Penner did his due diligence and still traveled to Ann Arbor to meet with the coach in person, like he’s done with seven other candidates during the Broncos’ head-coaching search.”
The football world had a wide variety of reactions to the news, feeling that it could mean several different things.
Swing and a miss. #Broncos #BroncosCountry @DenverChannel https://t.co/0qXkBd8IJx
— Lionel Bienvenu (@lionelbienvenu) January 29, 2023
So Jim Harbaugh met with Denver, after his statement of “My heart is at the University of Michigan”
His nonsense is getting old, with him trying every avenue to leave. https://t.co/ixh3pBWNtx
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) January 29, 2023
Hmmm… I wonder if this has anything to do with their inability to find a HC https://t.co/gOHtPVXTlz pic.twitter.com/Tvm5YDMzS8
— Marcus Harvey (@MarcusHarvey_) January 29, 2023
No Deal….. Yet! #BroncosCountry https://t.co/vkAghCBsMz
— Jason Bolin (@JasonBolin17) January 29, 2023
https://twitter.com/anthonytbroome/status/1619506886843465728
Hmmmmmm https://t.co/cfE4ZjQi4q
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) January 29, 2023
Aside from the Carolina Panthers hiring Frank Reich, the head coaching market has been quiet in the offseason, at least in terms of actual signings. In all likelihood, more hires will be made after the NFC and AFC Championship Games on Sunday and after the Super Bowl, as the seasons of the best teams in the NFL come to an end.
Until that happens, though, while Harbaugh has said that he’s returning to Ann Arbor, there’s no reason for a team like the Broncos not to do due diligence with him.
