Former Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh almost found himself being suspended yet again by the NCAA over his actions amid their investigation.
Jim Harbaugh famously served two separate suspensions during the 2023 college football season, but he almost hit a trifecta of suspensions.
The Big Ten suspended Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh from the field for the final three games of the 2023 season amid an ongoing NCAA investigation into an alleged sign-stealing operation orchestrated by former staffer Connor Stalions. His first suspension was school imposed as he was not allowed to coach for the first three games of the season over NCAA recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period.
CBS Sports has reported this week that the NCAA threatened to suspend Jim Harbaugh for a third time if his attorney did not stop posting “satirical social media comments of the association’s ongoing investigation of the Wolverines football program.”
More from CBS:
In a “letter of admonition” to attorney Thomas Mars obtained by CBS Sports, current NCAA Committee on Infractions chair Dave Roberts wrote in October 2023 that if Mars didn’t halt his posts criticizing the NCAA’s investigative process “the COI will consider appropriate penalties, including immediate suspension of your client.”
Roberts cited NCAA bylaw 19.4.6-(i), which gives the COI authority to ” … sanction parties and/or their representative(s) for behaviors that inhibit the committee’s ability to effectively manage the docket, ensure a professional and civil decorum in all proceedings or otherwise efficiently solve infractions cases.”
The letter ends with seemingly a final warning from Roberts that read, “There will not be any further admonitions …”
This week, the NCAA finally announced their punishment for Michigan as they were given three years of probation, fined, and hit with recruiting limits by the NCAA after football coaches and staff had impermissible contact with recruits and players under then-coach Jim Harbaugh while access was restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NCAA stories via Google! Follow Us
In the aftermath, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel released a statement reacting to the announcement:
It was further noted that “five individuals who currently or previously worked for its football program” agreed to the violations and penalties. However, the announcement added, “One former coach did not participate in the agreement, and that portion of the case will be considered separately by the Committee on Infractions, after which the committee will release its full decision.”
Harbaugh wasn’t named but was referred to as “the former football head coach.”
The university agreed that “the underlying violations demonstrated a head coach responsibility violation,” and Harbaugh “failed to meet his responsibility to cooperate with the investigation.”
Jim Harbaugh Is Now In Charge Of Getting The Los Angeles Chargers On Track
Jim Harbaugh won the National Championship and then quickly took his talents to the NFL when he signed a huge deal to be the next head coach of the Chargers.
The Los Angeles Chargers last got a playoff victory in 2019 and haven’t been to the Super Bowl since 1995.
Also Read: BREAKING: NCAA Announces Michigan Wolverines’ Punishment For Violations From The Jim Harbaugh Era
