Embattled Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh may not be off to the NFL just yet if a report from Bruce Feldman of The Athletic and Fox Sports pans out.

Despite a 2-4 record in 2020, Feldman reported, “there is optimism inside Michigan that Jim Harbaugh’s new deal will get wrapped up soon with an extension thru 2026.” Harbaugh has only one more season left after this on his original contract, which has made him one of the highest-paid head coaches in college football.

Harbaugh, a former Wolverines star, was seen as a coach to turn around the storied program, but he has continually fallen short of expectations.

Harbaugh is 49-22 in six seasons as head coach at Michigan and 34-16 in Big Ten play. Perhaps most importantly to some, in his last two meetings against archrival Ohio State, the Wolverines have been outscored 118-66. The Buckeyes have won eight straight in the series, and in-state rival Michigan State beat the Wolverines in 2020, and that series has been split in the last four meetings.

After the season, Harbaugh dismissed defensive coordinator Don Brown, and the program delivered a strong recruiting class this cycle, is currently ranked No. 14 by 247Sports, despite all of the rumors swirling about his future there.