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Pete ThamelESPN
The Minnesota Vikings have expressed interest in hiring Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh to be the franchise’s next coach. A source told ESPN that the Vikings have requested permission to interview Harbaugh for their open head-coaching job.
Harbaugh has emerged as a candidate in part because of a strong relationship with new Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, with whom Harbaugh overlapped while he was the coach of the San Francisco 49ers. Adofo-Mensah worked in San Francisco’s front office in research and development and worked with Harbaugh in 2013 and 2014.
A source told ESPN’s Courtney Cronin that the relationship between Adofo-Mensah and Harbaugh is one of the primary drivers of the franchise’s interest in Harbaugh.
Harbaugh is coming of a rejuvenating season at Michigan after going 2-4 in 2020. Last season, Michigan went 11-2, won the Big Ten title after authoritatively beating nemesis Ohio State and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Harbaugh took a pay cut after the 2-4 season, as his base salary decreased from $8 million annually to $4 million. Michigan has yet to formalize any type of new agreement with Harbaugh after the rebound in 2021.
Harbaugh spent four years as the head coach of the 49ers. He went 44-19-1 and holds the fifth-best winning percentage in NFL history, ahead of any active coach in the league. Harbaugh got fired after going 8-8 in 2014.