The Denver Broncos formally started their search for a new head coach on Monday, and we’ll offer you one guess as to who their first interview was with.
Michigan soccer coach Jim Harbaugh spoke with the Broncos throughout a two-hour digital interview, in keeping with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the first coach Denver brass has spoken with because it fired first yr coach Nathaniel Hackett on Dec. 26
“It’s no secret Harbaugh has been weighing his NFL choices in current weeks,” Pelissero mentioned on Good Morning Football. “He now has emerged as a prime candidate in Denver.”
Harbaugh has connections to members of the Broncos possession group and search committee, like Condoleeza Rice, who has deep ties to Stanford, the place Harbaugh coached earlier than his stint in the NFL. Broncos co-owner and CEO, Greg Penner, bought his MBA from Stanford, too.
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Per Pelissero’s report, Denver can also be inquisitive about bringing in Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Demico Ryans, Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and their very own defensive coordinator, Ejiro Evero.
Harbaugh’s interview comes lower than one week after he launched a assertion by means of Michigan’s athletic division that week which mentioned partly, “I anticipate that I shall be enthusiastically teaching Michigan in 2023” with the caveat that “no man is aware of what the future holds.”
This is the second yr in a row Harbaugh, 59, has kicked the tires on an NFL return. Last season he interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings, going so far as to fly to Minnesota on nationwide signing day for an in-person interview with Vikings administration.
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He was not provided the job and whereas he returned to Ann Arbor, he did specific that he had a want to teach once more in the NFL. Harbaugh was 44-19-1 in 4 seasons with the 49ers from 2011-14, going to 1 Super Bowl (which he misplaced to his brother, John, and the Baltimore Ravens) and three NFC championship video games.
Further muddying the waters of Harbaugh’s future is an impending investigation at Michigan.
On the identical day Harbaugh launched the assertion about his future expectations final week, stories surfaced that the faculty obtained a discover of allegations from the NCAA.
The NCAA has despatched UM a draft of allegations, which a number of Level II violations which alleges the program contacted a number of prospects throughout the prolonged COVID-19 lifeless interval, held practices with too many coaches on the area and watched practices by means of an unauthorized video feed.
Harbaugh is on the hook for a Level I violation — the most critical of offenses — for deceptive investigators, the Free Press has confirmed.
“Yesterday, we obtained draft allegations from the NCAA concerning our soccer program,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel mentioned in a assertion on Friday. “We have cooperated and can proceed to cooperate with this investigation. Out of respect to the NCAA’s enforcement course of, we won’t provide additional feedback.”
Harbaugh, 74-25 in eight seasons at UM, has loved unprecedented success over the previous two years, going 25-3 with two wins over Ohio State, two Big Ten championships and two journeys to the College Football Playoff.
In the previous week, 5 starters — WR Ronnie Bell, DB DJ Turner, TE Luke Schoonmaker, DE Mike Morris and DT Mazi Smith — have introduced they may enter the upcoming NFL draft, with extra presumably to come back in Zak Zinter, Trevor Keegan and Cornelius Johnson. But Michigan’s 2023 roster bought a enormous enhance Monday when star working again Blake Corum introduced he would return.
Corum mentioned he instructed Harbaugh first earlier than he made the announcement public and that his coach was “comfortable,” however mentioned he didn’t ask about whether or not he shall be round for the upcoming season.
“I sort of prevented that query as a result of I need him to do what’s finest for him,” Corum mentioned. “I instructed him I assist him in no matter he does, as a result of that is how I actually really feel. I assist the coach with no matter resolution he makes.”
The Broncos aren’t the solely potential touchdown spot for Harbaugh, who reportedly spoke with Carolina Panthers proprietor David Tepper about their opening, though it was not characterised as an interview.
Then, there’s the Indianapolis Colts, for which he performed from 1994-97 and a member of the staff’s ring of honor since 2005. On Tuesday, Colts GM Chris Ballard was requested by reporters particularly if Harbaugh was on the listing of calls to make. Ballard declined to get into specifics
“I’ll lead the search,” he mentioned. “(Owner) Mr. (Jim) Irsay will make the closing name.”
Contact Tony Garcia at apgarcia@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @realtonygarcia.