In many ways, Jim Harbaugh was raised by the University of Michigan athletic department. Now he's giving back to it.
As he leads the Wolverines into the Big Ten championship game this weekend, Harbaugh announced Monday night that he'll be redirecting all bonus money he receives this season to help reimburse the university's athletic department employees "who have stayed while taking a voluntary or mandatory pay reduction during the last 18 months during the pandemic."
Harbaugh said on the Inside Michigan Football Show on WWJ 950 it was a decision he made after conversations with his wife Sarah. He spent eight years of his childhood living around the corner from the Big House while his dad, Jack Harbaugh, was an assistant coach under Bo Schembechler. He later played under Schembechler for four seasons.
After Michigan restructured his contract last year and turned nearly half of his salary into incentives, Harbaugh's bonuses this season could total nearly $3.5 million. He already landed $500,000 for taking Michigan to the Big Ten championship game, and he'll earn $1 million for winning it, and $1 million on top of that for winning the national championship.
He's also in line for $500K if Michigan reaches the College Football Playoff semifinals, $200K if it reaches a New Year's Six bowl game, $150K if it hits an APR target, $75K if he’s named national coach of the year and $50K if he’s named Big Ten coach of the year.
Harbaugh said the UM athletic department, which instituted salary reductions of 5-10 percent for most of its employees in 2020 amid revenue losses due
to the pandemic, has been "so important" to his life.
"Whether it's folks that work here in football or at the ticket department, baseball coaches, (swimming and diving coach) Mike Bottom, there’s so many people that my wife has gotten very close to, kids have. Really just our family way, our family contribution to those that have had some financial strain through the last 18 months," Harbaugh said.
Per a Michigan spokesperson, this type of philanthropy is "unprecedented in college or pro sports" as "no coach has offered this type of support to those they work with every day."
Harbaugh, 57, is in his seventh season at his alma mater. He was the highest-paid coach in the Big Ten before Michigan cut his annual salary from about $8 million to $4 million following last season's 2-4 finish. If he makes the money back over the next several weeks, he'll be putting it to good use.