Desmond Howard believes Jim Harbaugh stays at Michigan amid NFL rumors

Heisman Trophy winner, Super Bowl MVP, ESPN College GameDay commentator and Michigan alum Desmond Howard believes Jim Harbaugh will stay in Ann Arbor as rumors heat up about a potential return to the NFL.

Jim Harbaugh to the NFL rumors are back and “real” according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.

The speculation did not catch 1991 Michigan Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard by surprise.

“You can set your clock to this, we deal with it every year,” Howard told FanSided. “Normally it’s because they had a bad season and ok, Jim Harbaugh has had enough of this he wants to get back into the NFL. Now he is the AP Coach of the Year and they’ve had a fantastic season and ok, Jim Harbaugh has had enough of this he wants to get back to the NFL.”

Howard chuckled at the annual Harbaugh rumor mill no matter the season end circumstances. A return to the NFL for the once embattled Michigan coach who took a pay cut last year is expected eventually for the ultra-competitive Harbaugh, but not in 2022.

Desmond Howard doesn’t think Jim Harbaugh will leave Michigan for the NFL

“I really don’t believe he wants to get back to the NFL just yet,” Howard said. “He understands that he has something special in Ann Arbor. He assembled a really really good coaching staff and they’ve had tremendous success in year one and I think he wants to see how far they can take it.”

The staff turnover for Harbaugh was significant after a 2-4 pandemic shortened season adding five new coaches all in their 30’s including 34-year-old defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. Coaching sophomore quarterback to be J.J. McCarthy has to be enticing for Harbaugh as well.

On the other side, the Chicago Bears are expected to make a coaching change after four seasons with Matt Nagy. Harbaugh was drafted in the first round by the Bears in 1987. He maintains a close relationship with Hall of Fame coach Mike Ditka. He knows the market. The fans would love it. Harbaugh wants to win a Super Bowl…

Howard isn’t biting on the rumors that have plenty of names including a Michigan rival.

“There are also rumors about Ryan Day going to the Bears to develop Justin Fields,” Howard said. “That is probably more realistic just because he coached him before and it makes sense.”

Whenever Harbaugh decides he wants to go back to the NFL, Howard expects him to be successful once again.

“Most college coaches struggle at the NFL level because the playing field is a little more even,” Howard said. “You notice some real disasters lately because the playing field is a little more even at that big boy level. Jim is one of the best coaches in football college or pro. He has proven it on both levels.”

A Super Bowl or NCAA championship trophy are both missing from Harbaugh’s resume. Maybe the ultimate goal for Harbaugh is to win one in college then jump to the NFL for a back-to-back.

Might as well throw that one on the rumor mill as well.

Desmond Howard had partnered with Modelo. If one of the most thrilling plays in football – a punt return for a touchdown – occurs in the CFP National Championship Game, Modelo will reward 300 lucky fans with free beer for the entire 2022 college football season.

For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.