Multiple sources close to Jim Harbaugh told The Athletic on Monday they expect he will leave Michigan for the NFL if a franchise offers him a coaching job. …
…Harbaugh can be fired for cause if he participates in a job search without telling the athletic director, according to his contract.
1) Harbaugh interviewed with Minnesota last year. That’s active by Harbaugh. He didn’t get an offer.
2) If he doesn’t “participate”, active, but gets an offer, (passive by Harbaugh) then he doesn’t have to tell his AD and doesn’t risk being fired with cause. UM would not owe him buyout money if he was fired for cause. Harbaugh or his NFL employer would not owe UM money if he were fired for cause. If Harbaugh was active in seeking an NFL job but told his AD then no buyout money owed by either party.
The Athletic doesn’t mis-report so their “multiple sources close to Harbaugh” is right on the money. Those sources know his thinking so Harbaugh has participated, active, in a NFL job search. He has not told his AD; The Athletic would have reported if he had. So he gets fired for cause. Why would Harbaugh care? Neither he nor UM would owe the other any money and if he is offered then he has a NFL job already lined up.
