Jim Harbaugh

ESPN Insider Reveals Michigan Head Coach Met with NFL Team a Week After Saying He Was Staying

Denver Broncos owner Greg Penner arrived in Ann Arbor last week to meet with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh to discuss the team’s head-coaching vacancy.

Penner left without a deal ever materializing, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. The face-to-face meeting was a follow-up to the initial virtual interview which took place on Jan. 9. Last week’s meeting comes as a surprise, as Harbaugh publicly pulled his name out of consideration and reaffirmed his commitment to Michigan for the 2023 season.

“I love the relationships that I have at Michigan — coaches, staff, families, administration, president Santa Ono and especially the players and their families,” Harbaugh said in a statement on Jan. 16. “My heart is at the University of Michigan. I once heard a wise man say, ‘Don’t try to out-happy, happy.’ Go Blue!”

Harbaugh has spent the last eight years of his coaching career at Michigan, where he’s amassed a 74-25 record. The Wolverines have made back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoff, falling in the semifinal each season. Michigan finished 13-1 this past season, earning its second consecutive victory over Big Ten rival Ohio State.

Prior to his arrival at Michigan, Harbaugh enjoyed a successful run as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. Harbaugh guided San Francisco to a 44-19-1 record with three NFC Championship Game appearances and a Super Bowl appearance in 2013.

Broncos Continue Head-Coaching Search After Meeting with Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh

The Broncos, meanwhile, have interviewed seven additional candidates since firing Nathaniel Hackett. Former New Orleans Saints head coach and current Fox Sports NFL analyst Sean Payton headlines the list, along with former Stanford head coach David Shaw.

Colin Cowherd, a colleague of Payton and host of “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” revealed on his show Tuesday that the Broncos have already made a decision on who they want to hire.

“I’ve been told the Broncos have made a decision,” Cowherd said. “They want Sean Payton [quarterback] Russell Wilson has told the Broncos owners he wants Sean Payton.”