As the latest twists in the most entertaining college football scandal unfold, there are probably more than a few NFL observers watching Jim Harbaugh with keen interest.
Clutch your pearls and strenuously object at maximum volume if you want. Others have. But in pro football, how much do owners who might want to hire Harbaugh actually care about this latest scandal? We’d all like to live in a proper sports nation where coaches behave like noblemen. But that’s not the way sports or society works.
Every coach at every level is trying to gain an advantage. So, should we have the audacity to act shocked when one allegedly goes too far? The Big Ten has always marketed itself as a conference that cares about honor and doing things the right way. But find me a football program that adheres to every arcane bylaw in the NCAA’s rule, and I’ll show a school that’s likely not a serious national championship contender.
Michigan used to underachieve, and Harbaugh was on the hot seat. In recent years, the Wolverines have won consecutive Big Ten championships and reached the College Football Playoff the past two seasons. Now, the Wolverines face a major cheating scandal. Coincidence? Let the lawyers and investigators work, then draw your own conclusions.
The scandal matters to those who love college football because of the postseason implications. Regardless of how this season ends, there will be the return of the annual Harbaugh Watch. Will he return to the pros where he went 49-19-1 and reached a Super Bowl? He probably would have taken the Minnesota Vikings job two years ago if it were offered to him.
There are likely to be at least four job openings this winter. If you’re an NFL owner looking to make a splashy hire, Harbaugh might be the best available candidate. Of course, we don’t know if he wants to leave his alma mater. However, given the distractions (two suspensions in 2023), Harbaugh might be tired of fighting the NCAA. It’s tough enough battling Ohio State.
Let’s assume Harbaugh is in play. The NFL owner that lands him will be cheered by the fanbase. The sounds of that ovation will drown out any complaints. The league doesn’t really care a whole lot about coaches cheating. Yes, it will act when other owners grumble by docking a team’s draft picks and dishing out fines. Those are not little punishments. However, the NFL rarely suspends coaches for breaking the rule book. That’s far more common in college sports.
Roger Goodell never forced Bill Belichick to miss games after being involved in the biggest cheating scandal the NFL has ever seen. Instead, the commissioner destroyed the tapes. Because Goodell got rid of the evidence, we still don’t know the extent of what the Patriots were doing in the shadows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhgyDmJ1KmY&ab_channel=ShaquilleBryant
That should tell you all you need to know. These days, that Patriots scandal is only occasionally mentioned.
The league might choose to suspend Harbaugh if he lands an NFL job. Even if it does so, it’s only a public relations move, and it’s questionable whether that will hold up in court.
Harbaugh wins games. He’s also a celebrity in a sport constantly looking to gobble up attention. No active college coach outside of Nick Saban is more famous. Yes, Harbaugh brings baggage even under the best of circumstances. He’ll also elevate an NFL franchise.
That’s all that matters.
