The elephant at the Michigan Football Show will stay there for a while longer.
Jim Harbaugh showed Monday that he has yet to signal a contract extension, meaning he will enter this season as Force Five’s sole coach within two years of his contract. Harbaugh said this summer that a new agreement is being negotiated before this year, but that these discussions had been postponed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Harbaugh explained in July that the contract was not a very sensible priority and on Monday he argued that this was still the case.
“Only fish, bigger fish to fry,” he says.
Harbaugh’s existing deal is expected to expire 3 days after the last game of the 2021 season, and currently earns a salary of $7. 79 million, the fourth-highest number among FBS coaches in the country, according to a USA TODAY database.
Earlier this year, Harbaugh agreed to a 10% pay cut, as the sports industry faced budgetary problems. The consequences of COVID-19 led 21 workers to lose their jobs and a $26. 1 million deficit projection.
The lack of an extension to this level of Harbaugh’s tenure has surprised some industry experts, while others have the effect this had on hiring in Michigan.
When Harbaugh was asked if he felt that any competition was his contractual prestige contrary to him, he simply replied, “Wow blue!”
Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress. com. Follow him on Twitter @RainerSabin.