Michigan has had productive conversations with football coach Jim Harbaugh on a new contract, sources told The Athletic. These talks come after Harbaugh led the Wolverines to a 12-2 season, a Big Ten title, a win over Ohio State for the first time in 10 years and the first College Football Playoff appearance in program history.

However, sources say there is concern among high-ranking university officials whether Harbaugh is torn between staying at Michigan and potentially returning to the NFL if the opportunity were to present itself, as The Athletic's Bruce Feldman first reported on Jan. 5

The contract talks between the two parties have included an incentive-based deal, which would get his future annual salary higher than the $8 million he originally had. Harbaugh signed a five-year deal with Michigan in January 2021 that had an expected base salary of $4 million but carried incentives that could result in his earning up to $8 million, a source told The Athletic at the time.