Jim Harbaugh has received punishment for one investigation with the NCAA officially dropping the hammer on Wednesday. Though Harbaugh is back in the NFL, the NCAA handed down a 4-year show-cause order to the head coach with a 1-year suspension if he is ever hired by a new NCAA school.

That punishment is unrelated to the investigation into allegations of rampant sign-stealing under Harbaugh’s watch. Instead, the punishment is related to a previous NCAA investigation involving ineligible recruitment and inducements during the COVID-19 dead period. He was also penalized for what the NCAA deemed as providing false and misleading information.

In the NCAA’s official release, the organization blasted Harbaugh for “unethical conduct” and failing to “promote an atmosphere of compliance and violated head coach responsibility obligations.”

Harbaugh’s original violations were described as Level II violations but the NCAA determined his unethical conduct and failure to cooperate (specifically considering the provision of false or misleading information) as a Level I violation.

“Head coaches are presumed responsible for violations that occur within their programs. Due to Harbaugh’s personal involvement in the violations and his failure to monitor his staff, he could not rebut the presumption, resulting in a violation of head coach responsibility rules.”

The NCAA also noted Harbaugh’s “intentional disregard” for NCAA legislation and conduct as amplifying the severity of the case to Level I-Aggravated. That led to the 4-year show-cause and a 1-season suspension for Harbaugh for “100% of the first season of employment” if he returns to the college ranks.

The official penalties make it unlikely Harbaugh will ever return to the college ranks, but that has always seemed like a longshot for some time now. After claiming the national title with Michigan last season, Harbaugh returned to the NFL, and it is widely expected he would not return to the collegiate level.

RELATED: Get prepared for the latest Daily Fantasy Sports games and offers! Use SDS’s Underdog Fantasy promo to get started.

As Harbaugh embarks on his chase for a Super Bowl, he leaves behind a massive wake of turmoil in Ann Arbor. That includes reports on the Notice of Allegations related to the sign-stealing investigation that could ultimately lead to a suspension for Sherrone Moore.

All of this sounds nice and neat in terms of punishment, but many fans will only see sanctions as a slap on the wrist if Michigan maintains its 15-0 record an national championship from a season ago. For now, fans will have to wait and see how that one plays out.