Top 5 head coaching candidates for New York Jets

1. Jim Harbaugh

Before the Wolverines even played their bowl game (a blowout loss to Florida in the Peach Bowl on Saturday, as it were), Harbaugh tried to squash rumors he’s headed back to the NFL by saying he’s not leaving Michigan. But that apparently hasn’t stopped interest in him, with Pro Football Talk reporting earlier this month that at least one NFL team was planning to make a run at Harbaugh.

After a further report by PFT pointing to them making a run at Harbaugh, the Jets offered a meaningless statement denying their interest along with the sentence/phrase “Todd Bowles is our head coach.” The absence of “will be” kept the door open for the firing and subsequent search everyone knows is coming.

Harbaugh is well-compensated at Michigan, with a $7 million annual salary. But the Jets may be ready to make Harbaugh a proverbial, The Godfather-style, “offer he can’t refuse.” Outside of not being able to get permission for an interview from his bosses at Michigan, nothing would stop them from making such an offer.

Harbaugh’s history says four years is his shelf life, from Stanford to the 49ers (with three years at the University of San Diego prior to that). He has now completed his fourth season at Michigan.

Staying at his alma mater may take great priority for Harbaugh, especially now that the Big Ten looks more wide open heading toward next year. But if he has any current itch to return to the NFL, the Jets are in a good position to help him scratch it.