ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Make no mistake, Jim Harbaugh was one of the Broncos' top candidates to fill their vacant head coaching position.
According to a source, Harbaugh and Greg Penner, the Broncos' CEO and owner, had several positive conversations in recent weeks. Interest on both sides was serious and mutual, according to the source.
Penner and Harbaugh spoke one more time Monday morning. The source said Harbaugh informed the Broncos' new boss that his heart told him to stay with Michigan. The school's university president and Harbaugh himself each made the announcement official Monday afternoon with statements.
The Broncos move on to their other seven head coach candidates. Penner, Broncos' general manager George Paton and owner Condoleezza Rice interviewed current Denver defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, former Stanford head coach David Shaw and former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell last week.
Penner, Rice and George Paton will be in Los Angeles on Tuesday to interview former New Orleans' head coach Sean Payton and Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris on Tuesday.
The Broncos trio will then interview 49ers' defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans on Thursday and Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn on Friday.
The Broncos do not feel Harbaugh was usuing them as leverage to get a better deal from Michigan. For two reasons. One, Penner and Harbaugh never got close to talking contract. There had been media speculation Penner was prepared to pay $15 million to $20 million a year for Harbaugh but in the end we'll never know.
And two, Harbaugh made his decision to return to Michigan before he received a new contract from the school where he coached the previous 8 seasons. He figures to get a new deal that will up his deal that will currently pay him $7.19 million in 2023. But he didn't string along the Broncos until he got a new deal.
The favorites for the Broncos' head coach job now figure to Sean Payton and Quinn with Morris, Evero and Shaw as sleepers.
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