Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh has guided Michigan to a 49-22 mark in six seasons at the school. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI |
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Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The Michigan Wolverines have reached a four-year contract extension with head football coach Jim Harbaugh that will run through the 2025 season, athletic director Warde Manuel announced Friday.
"I continue to believe that Jim is the right man to lead our program in pursuit of Big Ten and CFP championships," Manuel said in a statement. "Our program didn't achieve at a level that anyone expected this year but I know those setbacks will drive the coaches, players and staff moving forward.
"Jim is a tireless worker and competitor. Following the completion of the season we talked for many hours on what it will take for Jim to lead and get us back on the right trajectory."
Harbaugh's new deal will pay him a base salary of $4 million in the 2021 season, which will increase to about $4.4 million in 2025. He can earn a maximum bonus of about $3.5 million in each year of the extension, including $1 million bonuses for winning the Big Ten title and College Football Playoff national championship.
Michigan would owe Harbaugh more than $4 million if the school fires him in 2021. His buyout to leave the program begins at $2 million in 2021 and drops by $500,000 in each subsequent year.
"Over the past few weeks, Warde and I had discussions that have been honest, open, insightful and constructive in moving our football program forward," Harbaugh said Friday. "Discussions that I look forward to continuing over the months and years ahead. We have a plan.
"There is work to be done and challenges to be addressed. These challenges are being addressed as we continue to strive for excellence in the classroom and championships on the field, a message that I hope is noted in the language of our agreed-upon contract."
The former San Francisco 49ers head coach had one year remaining on his initial contract at Michigan, which paid Harbaugh more than $8 million last year.
The Wolverines finished with a 2-4 record in the 2020 season. Michigan was forced to cancel its final three games due to COVID-19 concerns within the program.
The 57-year-old Harbaugh, a former star quarterback at the school, has guided Michigan to a 49-22 mark in six seasons at the helm, but he has yet to defeat rival Ohio State while serving as the Wolverines' head coach. Michigan also has lost four consecutive bowl games.
