Jim Harbaugh is reportedly talking to Panthers owner David Tepper about the HC job

For the second year in a row, Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan program made the College Football Playoff. And for the second year in a row, the coach is said to be following up on that success by flirting with a return to the NFL.

Harbaugh has spoken with Carolina Panthers Team owner David Tepper about potentially filling the team’s vacant head coach position, according to Associated Press And the ESPN. Both reports confirm that the conversation was not a formal interview.

The Panthers are looking for a new coach after firing Matt Rowley, the former Baylor coach who has since taken over from Nebraska. According to ESPN, Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilkes, who has one year of head coaching experience with Arizona Cardinalsis a strong candidate for the job after taking a 1-4 roster under Rhule and 5-6 since.

While Tepper has indicated he’s not interested in pulling another head coach from the college ranks, Harbaugh is unique in that he has more NFL head coaching experience than Most of the other top candidates are in the pros.

Will Jim Harbaugh make the jump back to the NFL this time around?

In Harbaugh’s first run as a head coach in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers, he led the team to a 44-19-1 overall record in four seasons, reached Super Bowl XLVII in his second year losing to his brother John Baltimore Crows.

After reaching the NFC Championship game three consecutive seasons, the Niners struggled to an 8-8 record. Harbaugh soon left for his alma mater in Michigan after a power struggle with Niners management.

It took a while for Harbaugh to find success in Ann Arbor, but the Wolverines finally defeated Ohio State last year after six straight losses under Harbaugh and made the College Football Playoff team for the first time in program history. They lost the semifinals to eventual national champion Georgia. After the season ended, Harbaugh was interviewed by Minnesota Vikings head coaching, but ended up returning to Michigan during his career Los Angeles Rams Offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell took over the position.

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History is essentially repeating this season. Michigan convincingly beat Ohio State to finish another strong regular season, made the college football playoff and lost in the semifinals, This time to TCU in the thriller 51-45. Now, Harbaugh could be on track to interview another NFL team.

Harbaugh signed a five-year, $36.7 million contract extension with Michigan after meeting the Vikings last off season. Deal Holds $3 million Through January 11th, per ESPN, at which point it’s down to $2.25 million.

he is He denied having an interest in a job in the NFL in early December, but added pointedly, “Nobody knows the future.”

No matter how much he talks to Harbaugh, Tepper is required by league rules to interview at least two minority job candidates before being hired, something the AP notes he can only do after the weekend.