Miami Dolphins trying to bring in Jim Harbaugh as head coach
Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross just can’t wait to get his hands on Stanford Cardinals coach Jim Harbaugh. His determination can be judged from the fact that he flew out to San Francisco, to convince the coach to make the switch from college football to
the professional league, and coach the Dolphins.
Sources said that Ross, General Manager Jeff Ireland, and former NFL executive Carl Peterson met with Harbaugh, and offered him to take over Tony Sparano’s job as head coach. Money is not an object for Ross, who is willing to make Harbaugh the highest earning
coach in the NFL, if necessary. That would make his pay check about $7 to $8 million or even more if Harbaugh plays hard to get. The Dolphins received some indications from Harbaugh, that he is now willing to take the team’s offer seriously.
Even so, the team still needs to interview minority candidates before hiring Harbaugh, in order to fulfil the league’s Rooney Rule. On top of that, Sparano is still the team’s head coach and is yet to be let go.
"I have been aware of their dialogue with Harbaugh but I know they have not interviewed any minority candidates and as [Pittsburgh Steelers owner] Dan Rooney told me this week on all these teams, we're going to hold their feet to the fire," said John Wooten.
Wooten works closely with the NFL on the interview process regarding coaches and front office executives.
Harbaugh flew out to the Bay Area on Tuesday, following Stanford’s win at the Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech on Monday. He spent five hours in a meeting with the San Francisco 49ers President Jed York and newly promoted General Manager Trent Baalke.
Sources also said that Harbaugh was initially cool and calm when approached by Peterson on behalf of Ross and the rest of the Dolphin. However, he grew considerably warmer after the Cardinals won the Orange Bowl on Monday with Ross in the crowd, ending their
season with a 12-1 record. Wooten had also been told that Harbaugh was not really considering the Dolphins’ offer on first approach.
Ross also spoke with University of Michigan officials to assure them that he would not compete with the University if Harbaugh wished to coach there. However, an official at the University told Ross that Harbaugh was not interested in taking up the vacant
head coach position at Michigan.
If all goes well, Harbaugh will be coaching an NFL team by the end of January.
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