Michigan ‘offer Jim Harbaugh a 10-year deal worth $125m that includes a clause where he can’t talk to NFL teams’ amid interest from the Chargers and Bears

Michigan is making a big effort to keep coach Jim Harbaugh, offering him a massive new contract with a special clause amid interest from NFL teams.

Harbaugh hasn't coached in the NFL in nearly a decade and has made the Wolverines one of the most consistent teams in college football.

However, he is drawing interest from a number of franchises heading into the offseason as the NFL prepares for a massive head coaching turnover.

But Michigan, which is preparing for the College Football Playoff semifinal against Alabama in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, won't let their head coach go without a fight.

That's according to NFL insider Ian RapoportMichigan has offered Harbaugh a 10-year deal worth $125 million.

That would make the 60-year-old, whose current contract runs through 2026, one of the highest-paid coaches in college football.

However, it also includes a clause that prohibits Harbaugh from discussing or accepting an NFL job during the 2024 season. That would only be a one-season stipulation.

It is also said that Michigan has put a shorter contract offer on the table worth approximately $11 million per year.

The Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears and New England Patriots are considered possible landing spots for Harbaugh.

While he hasn't left Michigan, he has received interest from the NFL in recent years. Most recently, he interviewed for the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos jobs.

But when those interviews did not result in a job offer, Harbaugh published a statement full of irony in December 2022.

He said, “People who think we've done a good job and are pleased with the work we've done here at Michigan will be thrilled to hear that we'll be excitedly coaching the Wolverines again in 2023.” .

The Los Angeles Chargers and Chicago Bears have expressed interest in Harbaugh

“And for those people who don't approve of the job we've done or would rather see someone else coach here, I think they will most likely be disappointed to hear that we will be coaching the Wolverines again and in 2023.”

Earlier this week, the NCAA notified Michigan that it was charging Harbaugh with a Level I violation.

Harbaugh's latest charge involves allegedly providing false or misleading information in an investigation into recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period.

The formal notice of charges Michigan received also detailed four Level II charges, including impermissible contact with recruits and analysts performing coaching duties.

The Big Ten has already suspended Harbaugh for the final three games of the regular season on an unrelated matter stemming from a sign-stealing scheme that remains under investigation.

Michigan now has 90 days to respond to the allegations. The formal notice of charges is a precursor to a hearing that could take place in 2024.