Despite making the NFL Playoffs for just the second time since 2003, the Las Vegas Raiders are in line for major overhauls. The franchise will be looking for a new general manager after firing Mike Mayock, and the future of quarterback Derek Carr remains in question, but one of the biggest mysteries is who will be the next head coach of the team.
Interim coach Rich Bisaccia did an outstanding job navigating the Raiders through one of the most turbulent seasons of any team in recent memory and has certainly earned serious consideration to keep the job. But the rumors have been floating around for some time now that University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is a real candidate.
According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, some people inside Michigan football believe Harbaugh will take the Raiders job if it is offered:
Multiple sources inside Michigan football told The Athletic this week that they think if Harbaugh is offered the Raiders head coaching job, he’d take it.
The potential interest in Harbaugh makes a ton of sense from the Raiders’ perspective. Harbaugh is coming off his best season since he took over at Michigan. He led the Wolverines to a 12-2 overall record, a Big Ten Championship, and a College Football Playoff appearance.
But of course, Harbaugh is no stranger to the NFL landscape either as he spent four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, going 44-19-1 and leading them to the Super Bowl in 2012. Needless to say, Harbaugh is a proven winner who never had a losing season at the NFL level. It’s also worth noting that Harbaugh has a long-time friendship with owner Mark Davis and began his coaching career with the Raiders in 2003.
It has always been believed that Harbaugh would eventually make his way back to the NFL. But coming off his best season at his alma mater, where he has spent more time than any other stop in his coaching career, and coming so close to winning a national championship, he may want to make another run. Whether the Raiders can do enough to convince him to come to Las Vegas remains to be seen.
