I've been asked to do something like this after the latest round of Jim Harbaugh NFL rumors has been stashed away. I think we've been fairly open about what we knew when we knew it, so we don't have to backtrack and go through the "what changed, what we knew and why it didn't happen" process.
The major thing throughout the entire process is that there really wasn't a threat that Harbaugh was going anywhere. Ultimately, I don't think an NFL offer was going to come and it would be something he would consider but his heart is at Michigan, his family is at Michigan and the program is established to his liking and molded by his hand.
Harbaugh was telling anyone that would ask about his intentions to stay. Whether it was current players, recruits and parents and everyone else in between, his response was that he wasn't going anywhere. Turns out, he was being truthful.
This brings us to the NFL stuff. It would have to take a pretty significant offer from an NFL franchise in order to contemplate it. This time, there was zero nervousness. In fact, once the Denver Broncos were first brought up, I received a text from a close source that suggested Harbaugh was a Broncos pipedream and it was not going to happen.
Turns out that was correct, too.
His intentions were always to be in Ann Arbor and I believe Harbaugh when he says that. This brings me to the contract talks, which I believe is the root cause of all this NFL drama.
I do believe there was some level of flirtation with the NFL, what's unknown is whether the NFL flirted back or it was a one-sided affair. Obviously, if you speak to a franchise about their opening, you have to have some level of interest.
Ultimately, it came down to a tug-of-war between Warde Manuel and Harbaugh, with misunderstandings and hurt feelings.
From what I understand, Manuel essentially told Harbaugh along the lines of "we can talk when you decide to stay" in response to the NFL stuff which Harbaugh took as "Warde doesn't want me here" and took it personally (which added a little bit to the NFL speculation). Manuel's response was directly linked to Harbaugh making public statements last year saying that he told Manuel this would be a one-time thing and would stay at Michigan as long as they would have him.
Not to mention, the hurt feelings over the pay cut in 2020. Harbaugh took it personally, which, might've been an extreme positive in hindsight because the program saw a turnaround with his newfound sense of motivation. As one person put it, it 'lit a fire under his ass.'
To summarize, this is how both sides were feeling during the second round of the talk and rumors.
From Harbaugh's perspective: 'You cut my pay and then when we start to win big, you don't pay me as much as these other guys who aren't."
From Manuel's perspective: 'You told me this wouldn't happen again. It's happening again, why? Are you in or out?'
This is the kind of thing that plagued discussions, the two couldn't get out of their own way. It showed a fundamental erosion of trust on both sides of the aisle which the ultimate goal was pushed aside and the train nearly went off the rails.
Another reason why a level head needed to be brought in.
Enter Santa Ono.
He was responsible for getting this over the finish line, getting things back on track and the focus on the goal both sides ultimately wanted to be done: A deal for Harbaugh to stay at Michigan.
I think this focus by Ono captured a new level of respect from Harbaugh, who saw his passion and saw the level of respect Ono was showing to him, which ultimately led to Harbaugh sharing the news he was staying in Ann Arbor.
At the end of it, neither Harbaugh nor Manuel are particularly wrong for feeling the way they did through the process but it's clear that the feelings impeded progress on the deal. It's clear that trust was an issue.
Now, on the doorstep of a brand new deal, the funny part in all of this is that the deal is exactly what both sides wanted from an economic standpoint, which makes the hurt feelings and trusts a bit silly in hindsight.
- A big raise for Harbaugh and his staff
- A prohibitive buyout
This proves that this was about two parties that are incapable of communicating between themselves as opposed to one side offering something that both scoffed at and vice versa.
This deal should be done soon enough but it didn't come without its share of bumps in the road. The hope is that this new deal will shut the door on any kind of NFL talk for good.
We'll see what next year brings.
The major thing throughout the entire process is that there really wasn't a threat that Harbaugh was going anywhere. Ultimately, I don't think an NFL offer was going to come and it would be something he would consider but his heart is at Michigan, his family is at Michigan and the program is established to his liking and molded by his hand.
Harbaugh was telling anyone that would ask about his intentions to stay. Whether it was current players, recruits and parents and everyone else in between, his response was that he wasn't going anywhere. Turns out, he was being truthful.
This brings us to the NFL stuff. It would have to take a pretty significant offer from an NFL franchise in order to contemplate it. This time, there was zero nervousness. In fact, once the Denver Broncos were first brought up, I received a text from a close source that suggested Harbaugh was a Broncos pipedream and it was not going to happen.
Turns out that was correct, too.
His intentions were always to be in Ann Arbor and I believe Harbaugh when he says that. This brings me to the contract talks, which I believe is the root cause of all this NFL drama.
I do believe there was some level of flirtation with the NFL, what's unknown is whether the NFL flirted back or it was a one-sided affair. Obviously, if you speak to a franchise about their opening, you have to have some level of interest.
Ultimately, it came down to a tug-of-war between Warde Manuel and Harbaugh, with misunderstandings and hurt feelings.
From what I understand, Manuel essentially told Harbaugh along the lines of "we can talk when you decide to stay" in response to the NFL stuff which Harbaugh took as "Warde doesn't want me here" and took it personally (which added a little bit to the NFL speculation). Manuel's response was directly linked to Harbaugh making public statements last year saying that he told Manuel this would be a one-time thing and would stay at Michigan as long as they would have him.
Not to mention, the hurt feelings over the pay cut in 2020. Harbaugh took it personally, which, might've been an extreme positive in hindsight because the program saw a turnaround with his newfound sense of motivation. As one person put it, it 'lit a fire under his ass.'
To summarize, this is how both sides were feeling during the second round of the talk and rumors.
From Harbaugh's perspective: 'You cut my pay and then when we start to win big, you don't pay me as much as these other guys who aren't."
From Manuel's perspective: 'You told me this wouldn't happen again. It's happening again, why? Are you in or out?'
This is the kind of thing that plagued discussions, the two couldn't get out of their own way. It showed a fundamental erosion of trust on both sides of the aisle which the ultimate goal was pushed aside and the train nearly went off the rails.
Another reason why a level head needed to be brought in.
Enter Santa Ono.
He was responsible for getting this over the finish line, getting things back on track and the focus on the goal both sides ultimately wanted to be done: A deal for Harbaugh to stay at Michigan.
I think this focus by Ono captured a new level of respect from Harbaugh, who saw his passion and saw the level of respect Ono was showing to him, which ultimately led to Harbaugh sharing the news he was staying in Ann Arbor.
At the end of it, neither Harbaugh nor Manuel are particularly wrong for feeling the way they did through the process but it's clear that the feelings impeded progress on the deal. It's clear that trust was an issue.
Now, on the doorstep of a brand new deal, the funny part in all of this is that the deal is exactly what both sides wanted from an economic standpoint, which makes the hurt feelings and trusts a bit silly in hindsight.
- A big raise for Harbaugh and his staff
- A prohibitive buyout
This proves that this was about two parties that are incapable of communicating between themselves as opposed to one side offering something that both scoffed at and vice versa.
This deal should be done soon enough but it didn't come without its share of bumps in the road. The hope is that this new deal will shut the door on any kind of NFL talk for good.
We'll see what next year brings.
