Michigan Wolverines football coach Jim Harbaugh said he was close to a contract extension that would take his employment beyond next year, but the COVID-19 pandemic put it on the back burner. Now there are less than 18 months left on his seven-year deal at U-M.
With most coaches operating with a four-year cushion for recruiting purposes, questions have begun to surface as to Harbaugh's next step. He made it clear he plans to be at Michigan.
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"It was kind of right there,” Harbaugh said. “Last February it was being discussed, and then the pandemic hit and it’s not been as high on the priority list.
"I’m under contract this year and next. We’ll get to that, I’m sure. We’ll get to that when that’s more high on the priority list for everybody.”
For now, he said, Athletic Director Warde Manuel — who has said in recent years he hoped Harbaugh would retire at Michigan — is concerning himself with other issues, including what's going to happen with the 2020 season due to the coronavirus.
Harbaugh’s contract is set to expire three days after the last game of the 2021 season. He recently took a pay cut on a salary that would have compensated him in excess of $8 million in 2020. His original deal included a $500,000 annual salary and $4.5 million in additional compensation - Michigan added an annual life-insurance policy in August 2016 that included a $2 million premium advance, to be paid to Harbaugh each year through the balance of his contract.
Harbaugh received a 10 percent raise in 2018 and another this year. He was behind only Clemson’s Dabo Swinney ($9.3 million) and Alabama’s Nick Saban ($8.8 million) in annual pay, but his contract remains vague when it comes to renewing.
“The parties agree that by December 1, 2021, they will meet and indicate whether they have a mutual interest in negotiating an extension of this agreement," it reads. “Any indication by either party that they do not desire to extend the contract shall not be considered a termination of this contract. Any agreement by the parties to discuss an extension does not operate as a guarantee that the parties will agree to an extension.”
Harbaugh reiterated he expects it to get done in due time.
“I think there are bigger fish to fry for our athletic director, for our administration,” Harbaugh said. “Me as a coach, it hasn’t been on the top of the priority list. I would expect something ... for there to be an announcement at some time.”
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