Will Johnson, Blake Corum address Jim Harbaugh NFL interest: 'Who wouldn't want him?'
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh was already considered one of the best head football coaches across all levels of football, which he definitely solidified after leading the Wolverines to their first national championship win since 1997 on Monday night.
Throughout his tenure with the Wolverines Harbaugh has been sought after by numerous NFL franchises, with NFL interest seemingly at an all-time high following Michigan’s recent national title victory. After Monday’s game, Michigan players Will Johnson and Black Corum were asked about the NFL’s interest in their head coach and how they’ve managed that over time.
“There’s a reason they’re so interested in him. He’s a great coach. He deserves to be looked at in that light,” Johnson said. “But I’m not too worried about it. I trust whatever decision he makes is best for him and best for the team, and I’m just trying to enjoy where we are right now and worry about anything like that when the time comes.”
Harbaugh attained high levels of success in his stint as an NFL head coach, leading the San Fransisco 49ers to three NFC Championship appearances and a Super Bowl appearance in his four seasons as the 49ers head coach. He became Michigan’s head coach following his final season in the Bay Area, but could this season be his final one in Ann Arbor?
“Like Will said, Coach Harbaugh is such a phenomenal coach, and if you look up just his legacy as a player and as a coach, he’s won everywhere he’s gone,” Corum said. “And maybe it took a couple years, but Coach at the end of the day is a winning coach. And he’s won every single place he’s been to. And so who wouldn’t want him? Who has it better than Coach Harbaugh? Nobody.”
Harbaugh interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings ahead of the 2022 football season before ultimately deciding to continue coaching the Wolverines, which certainly paid off following the Wolverines’ impressive 15-0 season on their way to a national title.
“When things come up like that, we’re like, hey, Coach, you’ve got to do what’s best for you. But we stick to the task at hand. When have you a great coach like that, everyone wants a piece of you. I’m just glad the University of Michigan has Coach Harbaugh,” Corum concluded.
The Wolverines were able to block out distractions surrounding their head coach throughout the season on their road to a national championship win, with Harbaugh serving suspensions in five of Michigan’s games this past season. And with the Wolverines’ sign-stealing investigation still ongoing and numerous NFL franchises in need of a head coach, it will surely be intriguing to see if Harbaugh decides to stay or go moving forward.