Jim Harbaugh reportedly is “torn” between taking the job at Michigan and staying in the NFL. Harbaugh’s “family and friends” reportedly are urging him to return to his alma mater. His brother, John, disputed that on Wednesday. Strongly.
“My dad and I both . . . I will say this: The report that said that his family is encouraging him to go to Michigan by Adam Schefter is absolutely incorrect,” the Ravens coach told reporters Wednesday. “There has been no family that I know of that has given him any advice at all because that’s a personal decision. It’s his to make, and that’s just absolutely false. I don’t know where that came from, but it didn’t come from the Harbaughs. My dad and I both said, ‘Hey, don’t tell us.’ If something gets out, we don’t want the finger pointed at us. Just leave us out of it, and don’t tell us what you’re going to do. I think he’s just trying to figure out what the next thing is for him, and more than anything, trying to have a great game on Sunday.”
Still, it sounds like John appreciates the fact that he’s not the Harbaugh making headlines.
“I open up my [computer] and you look at Google and it’s Jim Harbaugh,” John said. “Perfect. Perfect, it’s all Jim. I will say this: I’m just proud of him. I think he’s handled this. He’s been a giant through all of this uncalled-for type of media onslaught sometimes that takes place. Not anybody’s fault, just the nature of the business. I think he’s handled it just perfectly.”
A reporter then seized on the word “giant” as a clue that Jim could be succeeding Tom Coughlin in New York.
“See, that’s what happens right there,” John said, laughing. “That will be a headline. No, that’s not what I said.”
If John is telling the truth (and there’s no reason to think he isn’t), he’s been saying nothing to Jim about Jim’s next job. Regardless, John’s comments make it even more clear that there will indeed be a “next job” for Jim, sooner than later.
