Getty Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh leading his team out of the tunnel.
During an offseason for the Denver Broncos that is more confusing than the JFK conspiracy, the Broncos met with one of their top candidates for the second time.
According to ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter, Broncos owner and CEO Greg Penner and general manager George Paton flew up to Ann Arbor to meet with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh in person.
Mike Klis of 9News in Denver reported that no offer was made and Harbaugh reiterated that he’s staying at his alma mater.
Source confirms Broncos CEO Greg Penner met in person with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh last week. It was part of Penner’s due diligence in head coach search. No offer made as Harbaugh reiterated he’s staying at Michigan. #9sports
Denver had met with Harbaugh back on January 9 as the Broncos began their interview process. The interview lasted two hours, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Harbaugh released a statement on January 16 saying, ” I love the relationships that I have at Michigan – coaches, staff, families, administration, President Santa Ono, and especially the players and their families. My heart is at the University of Michigan. I once heard a wise man say ‘Don’t try to out-happy, happy.’ Go Blue!”
Schefter also mentioned that the Broncos have moved on and will continue their head coaching search with the rest of their top candidates.
It Was Harbaugh’s Job to Lose
According to Brock Huard of Fox Sports on January 24, Harbaugh was Denver’s top choice, but he backed out.
“Harbaugh was their guy. This is not from the team side of it, on pretty good account that this job was his if he really wanted it and he deliberated it,” Huard said. “Ultimately, just picked the kids and the student athletes, the young men there that all came to the school for him over this job in Denver which was a surprise to me.”
Sources have also told me that a deal with Harbaugh and the Broncos was “As close to being done as possible, but Harbaugh backed out.”
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network also reported that there was real interest between Harbaugh and the Broncos.
The @NFLGameDay Notebook with @MikeGarafolo & @TomPelissero: Playing #Chargers WR Mike Williams and others was an organizational decision; #Rams coach Sean McVay is back and could add Mike LaFleur; A big week for Sean Payton; Jim Harbaugh is a strong candidate for the #Broncos.
Harbaugh is the Perfect Fit for Denver, Colin Cowherd Says
Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd said he thought that Harbaugh was a better match in Denver than Payton, posting on Twitter that his “style is the perfect fit” for the Broncos.
“Harbaugh’s calling card — college and pro — [is] he builds strong offensive lines and run games,” Cowherd said January 10 on his radio show. “He did it at Stanford, he did it at the 49ers, he did it at Michigan. Three for three, that’s what he does, builds o-lines and build run games.
If Harbaugh were to coach in Denver, he would have to fix the Broncos’ offensive line, which gave up an NFL-worst 63 sacks, tying the franchise record for most in a season (1963).
“You rebuild the o-line, it’s what Jim does,” Cowherd said. “Javonte Williams, an emerging star running back got hurt, he returns and then you ask Russell Wilson to use his mobility like he asked Andrew Luck to, Colin Kaepernick to, Alex Smith to. Harbaugh’s had the mobile quarterback and he’s always done it the same way. We have a blueprint for Jim, Denver’s the blueprint.”
Denver’s rushing attack ranked in the middle of the pack in the NFL at just 113.8 rushing yards per game. In a West Coast offense, the running game needs to be effective and the top priority and it wasn’t this season for the Broncos.
While Harbaugh was coaching the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014, his rushing attacks never ranked worse than eighth in the NFL and they owned a top-four attack for three out of the four years. San Francisco averaged 139.2 yards per game on the ground in Harbaugh’s four seasons.
The Broncos have yet to set up a second interview with any of the coaching candidates that they have already interviewed.