The Raiders are no longer in play. [ THE daily Harbaugh thread! ◉‿◉ ]
A Harbaugh daily thread I'm rather happy to initiate.
Per source way inside Schembechler Hall*, the Raiders/Davis family evidently passed on Harbaugh even before the GM is hired. I suppose if they proceed to whiff on all their preferred targets they could reconsider but... yeah, unlikely.
At this point, an offer or even demonstrated interest from an NFL front office would have to materialize out of left field. So while it's not over and open seats still exist, the biggest bullet appears to have missed.
Maybe it's age-ism. Maybe it's his personality. It's certainly not his qualifications. But whatever the reason, the NFL looks like it is collectively swiping left on JH's Tinder card. I wouldn't have guessed this two weeks ago. Kinda shocked, actually.
I'm relieved as a Michigan fan, but I'm also a fan of Jim Harbaugh the man/coach and think he deserves to be able to take another shot at the league since that's what he wants (sorry, but it's true). However, no concerns here about him being anything less than all-in for Michigan if he's back. Zero. If you're worried about that or feel offended he dared look at his professional options, just stop. His dial has no setting but 11.
Exhale and enjoy your Sunday.
*(sourcing info provided to the proprietors of this establishment and I've generally discussed before, so take it for FWIW to you)
January 23rd, 2022 at 12:59 PM ^
It seems like if the Raiders really wanted him, as the talking heads kept saying, the team would have interviewed him by now, no? It's been over a week since their playoff exit.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:07 PM ^
The reports have only discussed GM interviews thus far - no one interviewed for coaching yet.
There was a report earlier that the Raiders had not even reached out to Jim at all yet (not sure how reliable): https://mobile.twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1484605323386277893?s=20
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:41 PM ^
Raiders had not even reached out to Jim at all yet
Probably because of Bisaccia??
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:44 PM ^
I'd take this with a grain of salt though.
No doubt Jim, if interested, would have requested absolute secrecy because of potential recruiting impact.
January 23rd, 2022 at 2:00 PM ^
Exactly, his people were in contact with their people no doubt
January 23rd, 2022 at 2:25 PM ^
I doubt Harbaugh could interview with them without it leaking out somehow.
January 23rd, 2022 at 11:28 PM ^
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:22 PM ^
Yeah, I don't think the Raiders are off the table yet. Should they hire a GM that wants Harbaugh the door opens again. I think maybe less likely is the current state.
January 23rd, 2022 at 2:43 PM ^
Raiders seem like a Dodds hired, odds go way up on Harbaugh as HC. They go a Ziegler or another route, one with no Harbaugh connections, likely this is true. Ziegler seemed to have inside track, he’s one connected with McDaniels.
January 23rd, 2022 at 3:56 PM ^
I honestly don’t think they are that interested. I do think his age might play a little bit into it as it seems the coaching tree is finally going towards younger candidates, something I think is a little overdue. JH also has a bit of a quirky personality which does rub some people the wrong way. If they don’t remove the interim tag from their current coach my guess is they hire another current NFL coach who is much younger
January 23rd, 2022 at 4:51 PM ^
So what you're saying is Oakland is still in play?
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:01 PM ^
Let’s hope this is confirmed publicly soon and we can all go on with our lives.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:56 PM ^
I don't think anything will be confirmed publicly till possibly after the super bowl and how the current openings are filled. Many of the candidates are still coaching as assistants so official confirmation may not happen for a while.
January 23rd, 2022 at 2:02 PM ^
But if the writing is on the wall for JH that he's not getting this job, you'd hope he'd sign an extension and put it all to rest regardless of whether the Raiders have finalized their situation
January 23rd, 2022 at 3:22 PM ^
Sure but even if signs an extension, this will happen next year if he has another year like this, which we all hope. He will always be on the NFL coaching searches list, he's not one of these I'm only going to coach in college.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:01 PM ^
you finally got the red baron. congrats. i 100% join you in your appreciation of JH and what it likely means for our favorite team. we'll see if it sticks, but the signs are ever-more positive.
EDIT: i should add, thank you for sharing what you can and have these last days/weeks.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:09 PM ^
If the Raiders proceed to announce him as the HC later this week, I'll be making like Henry Hill and entering the Witness Protection Program in some nondescript suburb ordering spaghetti with marinara and getting noodles with ketchup.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:20 PM ^
That's the beauty of the internet. You can be anyone you want to be and no one would know the difference. It's as if you're already in witness protection.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:31 PM ^
Lock up your soldering irons, lads.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:40 PM ^
like a schnook
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:46 PM ^
i might be able to help you with that. hint: cows are excellent camouflage and they never talk.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:53 PM ^
You have white Angus cows XM?
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:58 PM ^
black angus, generally, but i'll spray paint some white on them and they'll look like giant beagles. sopwith will fit right in.
January 23rd, 2022 at 2:01 PM ^
Here ya go.
A little less aggressive than Tommy shooting from the grave. Also great movie analogy and quote. Thanks for the info!
January 23rd, 2022 at 2:12 PM ^
You’ll probably end up like Billy Bats
January 23rd, 2022 at 3:21 PM ^
I’d probably tell you to go home and get your fucking shine box.
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:11 PM ^
It'll be BKFinest all over again.
January 23rd, 2022 at 10:08 PM ^
Your original post is full of speculative uniformed conclusions about any teams interest in Harbaugh and Harbaugh’s interest in any team.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:02 PM ^
I never understood his interest in the Raiders; it’s a tough road to the playoffs. The Chargers, Chiefs have better QB’s and the Broncos (albeit every season since Peyton) appear to be a solid QB away from being really good. The Raiders have a nice roster but the AFC West is arguably going to be the best division for awhile. The Bears or Vikings I think would be the better gig, that division is probably going to be up for grabs moving forward
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:46 PM ^
Agreed, with Rogers consistently playing his I'm staying / I'm going routine and now Devante Adams is a FA. Green Bay could fall back to the pack quickly. And with no other franchise really ready to ascend, it will be a cluster for awhile.
As for the AFC West, 2 of the top 7/8 QB reside in that division and they are both under 25 and yes the Broncos are a solid QB away from contending (See Aaron Rogers above). So that division will be a dogfight for the next several years.....
And honestly while JH still goes like a Bat out of Hell*, his open window for coaching is what....7-10 years left? With each passing year, I can see it becoming more and more likely that JH finishes his coaching career here...
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:57 PM ^
If/when Rodgers/Adams leave, my god that division is going to be a dump. The Vikings are going to overhaul, the Bears are a mess, and the Lions are the Lions. I could see a 6-11/7-10 team winning that division.
January 23rd, 2022 at 3:01 PM ^
It is the Norris Division after all
January 23rd, 2022 at 3:19 PM ^
Glad that we now know Chris Berman's MGo handle.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:04 PM ^
I wouldn't have guessed this two weeks ago. Kinda shocked, actually.
Well, this is basically what all the other insiders have been saying. Maybe your source wasn't all that?
January 23rd, 2022 at 3:36 PM ^
Sopwith is one of the better contributors here imo. Not a self-aggrandizer, and pretty upfront that any info he has comes with all the usual caveats. Im not sure that your post added anything meaningful to the conversation.
[edited to remove unnecessarily crude comment at the end.]
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:04 PM ^
Maybe he's not interesting in leaving Michigan.
January 23rd, 2022 at 2:28 PM ^
"that's what he wants"
How would the OP know this? Has he actually spoken to Harbaugh? Very doubtful.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:06 PM ^
So will this be an annual thing? By this, I mean Harbaugh wanting to leave for the NFL. Eventually someone will want Harbaugh because of his successful track record. I would feel better if it was Harbaugh saying no, not the other way around.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:09 PM ^
He’s 58, time is probably running out, he’s not ancient but I don’t know (as of now) if the nfl is hiring older dudes. I don’t think he’ll ever get what he wants to go back to the NFL.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:12 PM ^
Maybe not. Harbaugh isn't young anymore. At 58 he is only 4 years younger than Lloyd Carr was when he retired.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:42 PM ^
AR and BA
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:54 PM ^
You might as well have posted 'ABBA'.
January 23rd, 2022 at 2:05 PM ^
Speaking of which, does this news mean that we can dance, we can jive, having the time of our lives?
January 23rd, 2022 at 2:06 PM ^
63 KC. 69 TB. Hope that helps DS.
January 23rd, 2022 at 5:52 PM ^
The NFL should take a chance on Harbaugh?
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:14 PM ^
Nobody here has any damn idea, it's all just overconfident guessing. The same shit has been proven wrong again and again and again, but here we are.
January 23rd, 2022 at 2:21 PM ^
I would suspect that we may have to go through this for a few more years. As noted by others, he is 58 now and while some may get wound up about ageism... the trend in the NFL is hiring younger guys.
So in a few years, he will be over 60 stacked full of outstanding credentials, but it is becoming more and more unlikely that the NFL would show any interest.
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:08 PM ^
So, will he sign or maybe he has already signed. Feel like we have on more round to go. Seeing as it’s unclear if he is waiting for any NFL offer or an NFL with additional control
I’m assuming this increases his odds of staying, and I have no doubt he is all-in and it’s the start of something special.
Go Blue
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:08 PM ^
Thanks Sopwith
January 23rd, 2022 at 1:09 PM ^
Per source way inside Schembechler Hall*
For some odd reason, I'm imagining you meeting with this source inside of a dark parking garage. He's wearing a trench coat and a fedora, giving you information while chain smoking a pack of unfiltered Camels. Please tell me this is true.