It’s become an annual thing between Jim Harbaugh, Michigan football, and the NFL — what is Harbaugh going to do this year? After winning a national championship with his alma mater, Harbaugh is reportedly stuck between signing a major extension with the Wolverines or heading back to the league. So far, Harbaugh has officially interviewed with the LA Chargers and the Atlanta Falcons.

Harbaugh had a great NFL coaching career with the San Francisco 49ers and even took them to the Super Bowl, but was defeated by his brother and the Baltimore Ravens. It’s been an itch Harbaugh has been wanting to scratch for some time now in hopes of getting that coveted Super Bowl victory. And now that he accomplished what he set out to do with Michigan — get it back to the top — it would make sense for Harbaugh to follow his dreams of winning a Super Bowl along with a national championship.

While Jim Harbaugh has yet to win a ring in the NFL, his brother John has. John is in pursuit for another Super Bowl win this season with the Ravens, but first, the Houston Texans stand in the way. During a press conference, John was asked what his brother intends to do. Is he going to stay in Ann Arbor, or head to the NFL?

John said he wasn’t sure, but he believes Warde Manuel and the Board of Trustees should be doing everything their power to make sure Jim stays in Ann Arbor.

“I’m not sure what Jim’s plans are. I think whatever he does, it’ll be what’s best for him and his family,” John Harbaugh said on Thursday. “I know Michigan has been a joy for him to go back to his alma mater. His family loves it there. The players love him. He loves the players, coaches — the fan base. I don’t know exactly what direction he’s going to go. 

“I would think that the [university] President and the Board of Trustees would be doing everything that they can to try and keep him. That’d be priority No. 1 if I was them, but I think at the end he’s going to do whatever’s best for him and his family.”

Michigan has already offered to make Harbaugh the highest-paid coach in college football via a guaranteed six-year deal worth $11.5 million annually. There could be additional money on the table as well through bonuses.

But it all comes down to what Jim feels like is the right situation for himself and his family. If the right NFL team comes calling, it could send Jim back to the NFL and will make Michigan to make a decision on who to hire next as the head coach — offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore would make the most sense.

“He loves Michigan, but he loves the NFL, too,” John Harbaugh added on Thursday. “So, we’ll just have to see.”