Perhaps the hottest potential NFL head coaching prospect out there is Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh. Rumors and reports have been flying for weeks about how the college coach is interested in a potential move back to the NFL and many others think he could leave.
Those possibilities moved into the realm of reality on Saturday as Pro Football Talk reported that Harbaugh has interviewed for the head coaching position with the Minnesota Vikings.
Per source, the Vikings are interviewing Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. pic.twitter.com/weN74wPLgj
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 29, 2022
It’s a unique twist in the Harbaugh saga as it has been widely assumed that the Las Vegas Raiders would be a landing spot for him. The Chicago Bears and New York Giants were also considered possibilities but both of those head coaching jobs have been filled.
The Vikings would certainly love to make a splash by doing something like hiring Harbaugh. The franchise fired head coach Mike Zimmer and GM Rick Spielman at the end of the year, their second-consecutive losing season. It also makes sense that new Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who worked with Harbaugh for a year in San Francisco, would want to see if they can reconnect.
Harbaugh has been one of the few college coaches that have shown he can cross over and have success at both levels of football. He saw some major success at the NFL level with the San Francisco 49ers, (44-19-1 with a Super Bowl appearance), so should he choose to want to come back to the NFL, it’s no surprise that there are owners interested.
There were plenty of reactions to the news that Harbaugh was officially interviewing for an NFL gig.
Finally have a team that can compete in the SEC. https://t.co/GMB7JIHfI5
— Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) January 29, 2022
The plot thickens https://t.co/ys5zsOu7mR
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) January 29, 2022
Just my uninformed thought: I don’t think a Jim Harbaugh interview goes public unless he’s getting the job https://t.co/27QzAHMvlA
— Jace frederick (@JaceFrederick) January 29, 2022
Conspiracy: The Brady retirement news was planted by Harbaugh so his interview would fly under the radar https://t.co/kVipEBABgF
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) January 29, 2022
+The two have mutual friends in #NFL personnel circles who could join them if he winds up taking the job. This is a very interesting situation. https://t.co/oZAgzQJLRH
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) January 29, 2022
We’ll see if this ends up leading to anything or if Harbaugh eventually decides to stay in college football. Until then, the coaching carousel simply keeps spinning.
[PFT]
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.