The Denver Broncos plan to interview University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh for their head coaching job early this week, Tom Pelissero & Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. This according to sources.
Harbaugh, 59, has been weighing his NFL options in recent weeks and now is set to interview virtually with Denver in the coming days, along with several other candidates.
After the Broncos fired Nathaniel Hackett with two games left in his first season on Dec. 26, the expectation has been that Denver's new regime would swing big, and Harbaugh certainly fits the bill. He was 44-19-1 as the 49ers' head coach from 2011-14, leading San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game three times and to an appearance in Super Bowl XLVII before leaving to return to his alma mater.
Sources say the Broncos also have requested and received permission to interview Sean Payton, who remains under contract with the Saints and would need to be acquired in a trade. Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is also expected to be among the top targets for the Broncos, who have said they intend to interview their DC, Ejiro Evero, as well.
There are connections in Denver for Harbaugh. Condoleezza Rice, a member of the Broncos' ownership group and search committee, has deep ties to Stanford University, where Harbaugh coached before his first NFL stint. Greg Penner, the Broncos' co-owner and CEO, got his MBA from Stanford.
This isn't the first time Harbaugh has considered a return to the NFL. He interviewed last year with the Vikings, who ended up hiring Kevin O'Connell. Harbaugh returned to Michigan and said at the time he wouldn't consider returning to the NFL again. The Wolverines were 13-0 this season before falling to TCU in the College Football Playoff semifinal on New Year's Eve.
Amidst recent reports of NFL interest, Harbaugh released a statement on Thursday saying in part: "As I stated in December, while no one knows what the future holds, I expect that I will be enthusiastically coaching Michigan in 2023."
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/theredzoneorg
Like us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/Theredzone.org