5 NFL teams for which Jim Harbaugh would leave Michigan

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - OCTOBER 19: Michigan Wolverines Head Coach Jim Harbaugh reacts to his team failing to score on 4th down during the fourth quarter of the game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Penn State Nittany Lions on October 19, 2019, at Beaver Stadium in University Park, PA, (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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Mandatory Credit: Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images /

3. Houston Texans

Bill O’Brien always seems to be about two steps from the hot seat, and the pressure is ramped up on him this year as he has become the Texans’ de facto general manager.

The Texans are 4-3 this season, with two winnable games (Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars) before their bye week. But winning the AFC South may take 10 wins, and O’Brien has only won one playoff game in his tenure when the Raiders had to start Connor Cook with Derek Carr injured.

Texans owner Bob McNair would surely only fire O’Brien if he knew he had a better option out there. O’Brien had his contract extended through 2022, alongside the hiring of general manager Brian Gaine in January of 2018, but Gaine was gone a little over a year later. After a blip last offseason, the Texans are expected to bring Patriots’ executive Nick Caserio aboard in 2020. The past Patriots tie to O’Brien would be obvious, but perhaps Caserio would be given a role and full authority to make a head coaching change if he saw fit.

If Harbaugh has serious interest in Houston, they should have little trouble pushing O’Brien aside to hire him. Without knowing it, it may be at least division title or bust for the current Texans’ head coach this year.

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