Jim Harbaugh‘s move back to the college game may have been about money, but it apparently wasn’t about that much money.
Earlier this month it was reported that Michigan had offered Harbaugh a six-year contract that averaged $8 million annually. Just ahead of the press conference to officially introduce Harbaugh as the next UM head football coach, it appears the former UM quarterback “settled” for less money to return to his collegiate home.
Much, much less than had previously been reported, as it turns out.
BREAKING NEWS: Straight from UM AD Jim Hackett. Harbaugh's salary will be roughly $5M a year, plus incentives, same basic contract as 49ers.
— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) December 30, 2014
At $5 million annually, Harbaugh would’ve been around the Top Five in total coaching pay nationally and the highest-paid in the Big Ten in 2014. Such a title apparently didn’t mean that much to the coach, though, as he felt the funds that had reportedly been earmarked for him personally could help him add quality people to his staff.
Jim Harbaugh told Hackett he did NOT want to be the highest paid coach in CFB, or even the Big Ten. More concerned with pay for assistants.
— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) December 30, 2014
Also, just in case there’s any lingering doubt that Harbaugh will indeed be the next Michigan head coach...
Awaiting the Harbaugh presser pic.twitter.com/0Ig58QP7lT
— angelique (@chengelis) December 30, 2014