Report particulars name between Harbaugh and Vikings, plan transferring ahead
According to a report by NFL.com, Jim Harbaugh and the Vikings had an “exploratory meeting” Saturday afternoon about Minnesota’s head coaching vacancy.
The Vikings “plan to conduct in-person second interviews for their head coaching job with several candidates this week” while they “continue to explore the possibility of hiring Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh,” Tom Pelissero detailed Sunday morning.
According to the report, Minnesota Michigan requested and received permission to speak with Harbaugh. The interview was held to “gauge his interest” and while no further meetings are currently scheduled, “Harbaugh remains a candidate for the job.”
“It wouldn’t be surprising if the Vikings brought him into the facility this week,” Pelissero wrote.
On Saturday, ProFootballTalk was the first to report that it was Harbaugh Interview with the Vikings. This news came a day after Sam Webb of This was confirmed by the Michigan Insider that rumors of mutual interest between the Vikings and Harbaugh have “merit”.
Speculation about Harbaugh’s future has been rife since the Michigan soccer team wrapped up their best season in a decade. The Wolverines won 12-2, beat Ohio State, won the Big Ten Championship and made the college football playoffs for the first time ever.
Harbaugh, who is under contract with Michigan through the 2025 season, took a widely publicized pay cut last January as part of his stimulus-laden deal. While Harbaugh has said publicly that he doesn’t mind the contract — “I’d do it for free,” he once said of his job — his name has been linked to several NFL job offers in recent weeks.
The newest and the one that seems to have the most steam right now is in Minnesota.
The Vikings fired coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman after Minnesota finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the Vikings’ new general manager, was a staffer with the San Francisco 49ers at the end of Harbaugh’s tenure there.
Earlier this week, Adofo canteen explained as he approaches Minnesota’s coach search.
“We will dive into this head coaching quest and bring a partner to me and this organization that will take us where we want to be,” said Adofo-Mensah. “We’ve had some initial talks, but those were just the first; of course, we will go into more detail on that as the week progresses.”
The Vikings have not commented on the Harbaugh report, but the organization says it interviewed Nathaniel Hackett, Dan Quinn, Kellan Moore, Jonathan Gannon and Todd Bowles for the head coaching role.
Sunday NFL.com The Vikings will reportedly be conducting multiple second interviews with NFL coordinators this week “while they continue to explore the possibility of hiring Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.”
As always, stay tuned to The Michigan Insider for updates.
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