Patriots Coach Jim Harbaugh?! How Oddsmakers View Possibility
Harbaugh would be an out-of-nowhere choice for Robert Kraft
NFL teams reportedly are trying to lure Jim Harbaugh away from Michigan, and oddsmakers believe the New England Patriots could be in the mix.
The former San Francisco 49ers head coach hinted at a return to the NFL in his postgame news conference after he helped lead the Wolverines to a College Football Playoff national championship over the Washington Huskies. Harbaugh could face punishment from the NCAA over his involvement in the university's sign-stealing scandal, and a move to the NFL would be a logical step to avoid serving any punishment.
There are multiple teams linked to the 60-year-old head coach, but DraftKings Sportsbook viewed the Los Angeles Chargers as a significant favorite to be the team he coaches next season. Here's a look at where the Patriots stand; bet is only available in West Virginia, New Hampshire, Colorado, Michigan, Illinois, Oregon, Wyoming, Arizona, Louisiana, Ontario and Maryland.
Los Angeles Chargers +125
Las Vegas Raiders +650
Carolina Panthers +650
Washington Commanders +700
Not the head coach of an NFL team +700
Atlanta Falcons +900
New England Patriots +1600
Chicago Bears +1600
New Orleans Saints +1800
New York Giants +2000
Any other team +2500
Tennessee Titans +3000
New York Jets +6500
No Matchup Found
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New England's odds have it on the outside looking in for Harbaugh, along with the Bears, who are expected to retain Matt Eberflus as head coach, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Multiple reports indicate that if the Patriots do move on from Bill Belichick, they will seek out familiar options: Mike Vrabel, Jerod Mayo or Brian Flores. Robert Kraft tends to keep his pool of potential hires short with people who have some history with the organization.
Harbaugh doesn't have a lot of strong history with New England, but if Kraft wanted to take his team in a new, bold direction, Harbaugh could be a choice. There also could be a possibility Harbaugh would use one of New England's high-value draft picks to take his signal-caller J.J. McCarthy.
It's assumed Tom Brady's connection with Las Vegas ownership would help steer his fellow Michigan alum to the Raiders. But it would be an out-of-nowhere scenario if Brady convinced Kraft and Harbaugh to join forces.
All these hypotheticals would depend on how Kraft's meeting with Belichick goes and how the Patriots owner views successor options like Vrabel and Mayo. But after the Seattle Seahawks fired Pete Carroll, it seems like anything can happen this offseason.
