NFL rumors: Jim Harbaugh could decide NFL future immediately after CFP

As Jim Harbaugh's Michigan Wolverines are gearing up to play Kalen DeBoer's Washington Huskies in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on Monday night, NFL teams around the league will be paying close attention to the bespectacled man in khakis on the Big Ten champions' sidelines. Three teams already have head-coaching vacancies with Black Monday two days away.

Michigan may be fresh off its first national semifinal victory ever after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide in overtime in the Rose Bowl. However, all three teams who have head-coaching vacancies have an employment connection for Harbaugh. He was a backup quarterback for the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Chargers, as well as a quarterbacks coach with the Raiders.

Although the Chicago Bears job may not open up, as they have played much better this season under second-year head coach Matt Eberflus, this is the team Harbaugh was drafted out of Michigan by way back in the mid-1980s. While he may be content with returning to Ann Arbor next year and beyond, he did hire Don Yee to be his agent, the same guy who represented Tom Brady previously.

Per Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of The NFL Network, "Multiple NFL teams have been making calls in recent weeks to gather information about Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, who has updated staff lists and has evaluated openings in anticipation of a potential return to pro football after Monday's College Football Playoff National Championship game." Oh, this is about to get so juicy...

Would Harbaugh leave Michigan after Monday night? Should he leave Michigan? Let's discuss this.

NFL rumors: Jim Harbaugh could leave Michigan immediately after CFP

There could be other openings across the NFL as well. Keep a close eye on what happens in Sunday's season finales for teams like the Atlanta Falcons, the New England Patriots and the Washington Commanders. Not to say Harbaugh would go to any of those teams, but all of whom will probably be picking inside of the top 10 anyway. Each team with a Harbaugh connection isn't making the playoffs.

Of the four teams with a Harbaugh connection, Carolina seems to be the least interested. Meddling owner David Tepper is expected to roll out the red carpet for Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson after foolishly not hiring him last season. The new Jimmy Haslam could fix this unmitigated disaster in Charlotte by hiring his own version of Kevin Stefanski after his own Freddie Kitchens mess.

The Chargers are seen to be Harbaugh's preferred destination. He loves him some Justin Herbert, but the Bolts are shamelessly cheap as a franchise. Ownership would sell one of its kidneys to make five bucks. And then there's the Las Vegas Raiders... Mark Davis is not Al Davis, but this is a franchise Harbaugh has a ton of respect for. It was in Oakland where he got his first job as an assistant coach.

So with seemingly everybody and their brother at least kicking the tires on potentially hiring Harbaugh, should he stay or should he go now? As with Mick Jones, this decision is bugging me. Either way, Harbaugh is going to be paid massively, so he can really do whatever he wants. If Michigan beats Washington, that leads me to believe that Harbaugh will be heading back to the NFL at age 60.

Keep in mind that he was suspended twice this season for three games apiece, first for some burgers and then for some alleged sign-stealing. Even if Michigan comes out of this hot mess it created for itself okay, Harbaugh will have accomplished what he set out to do which was to do what his mentor Bo Schembechler never did: Win a national championship. But what happens if the Wolverines lose...

See, to me, if Michigan were to lose to Washington, it would make things even harder for Harbaugh to turn pro. His last game at Michigan cannot be an L in the national championship game. He would be leaving unfinished business behind. Should the Wolverines lose, he might be able to convince his quarterback J.J. McCarthy to stay for one more year before bouncing. A loss means they should stay.

With a win on Monday night, Harbaugh and McCarthy can sail off into the NFL sunset as champions.