The Michigan football program has been embroiled in scandal over the past year which has many thinking head coach Jim Harbaugh could jump ship back to the NFL this coming offseason.
The latest controversy is Michigan being accused of organizing an elaborate plan to steal the opposing team’s signs by sending a member of the staff to their opponents’ games to film the sidelines in the weeks prior to the Wolverines playing them.
Harbaugh served a self-imposed suspension for the first few games of the season over recruiting violations and is still likely to face more punishment once the official NCAA ruling comes in on that one.
Michigan football is certainly not in a great spot off the field.
If Harbaugh does decide to leave it all behind and rejoin the NFL ranks, he will not be safe.
NFL insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported that the league will punish him.
“The NFL is unlikely to make itself a safe harbor for Harbaugh to escape what could be substantial NCAA discipline, league sources say, raising the strong possibility Harbaugh would need to serve some or all of any possible suspension he could face in college if he returns to the pros,” the report states.
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Harbaugh could face suspension for both the sign-stealing and the recruiting scandals. If he does decide to return to the NFL, Pelissero and Rapoport are saying those suspensions could follow him. However, that’s not an official NFL rule.
“There isn’t a bylaw governing the matter,” the report added. “But sources pointed to former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel as precedent for how the NFL and its teams could handle a college suspension of Harbaugh.”
Tressel left Ohio State and joined up with the Colts shortly after, but he ultimately did have to serve a suspension stemming from violations that occurred when he was at Ohio State.
It will be interesting to see how everything regarding the NCAA plays out.
