Jim Harbaugh destroyed the notion of ever leaving Michigan for the Indianapolis Colts should that job open up.
After his Michigan Wolverines beat the Indiana Hoosiers in double overtime, 48-41, in Bloomington, an Indiana-based reporter asked Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh if he had any interest in coming back to the NFL in 2016 should the Indianapolis Colts head coaching gig become available. Harbaugh responded to the question mid-sentence, “Stop. Just stop yourself. No comment.”
Harbaugh is in his first season as the head coach of his alma mater’s football program. He signed a seven-year deal worth $40 Million less than 48 hours later after leaving the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers earlier this calendar year. He has expressed before that it is his duty to help return his alma mater to its former glory. Glory that he tasted while playing for legendary head coach Bo Schembechler in Ann Arbor from 1983 to 1986.
- While he did shoot down the Indiana reporter in flames during his press conference Saturday, this was the closest thing to an appropriate time to try to extract an answer from Harbaugh for three reasons: Saturday’s game between Michigan and Indiana was in Bloomington, only 50 miles away from Indianapolis.
- Jim Harbaugh is a Ring of Honor member for the Colts organization, quarterbacking Indianapolis to the AFC Championship in 1995.
- Many speculate that Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is more on the hottest seat in the NFL.
Pagano’s Colts are 4-5 in the nine games since the AFC Championship blowout loss for Indianapolis to New England, also known as the Deflate-gate Game. Jim Harbaugh may have developed the reputation of not sticking anywhere as head coach for too long, but to ask him if he would leave Ann Arbor after one year with his team at 8-2 is a bit ridiculous. Harbaugh said later in the post-game press conference, “It’s great to be a Michigan Wolverine.”