Dodged a bullet? Jim Harbaugh surely did by throwing his hands in the air at the right time in Michigan. Despite all the accusations, despite the fear of leaving a flawlessly built team behind, despite the criticism from the Michigan fans, Jim Harbaugh took a bold step toward the Chargers, accepting their offer of the head coaching position. It became a win-win for Harbaugh since he (partially) restored his Michigan team at the Chargers by hiring Minter and Ben Herbert, and he also got a way out of the sign-stealing mess.

Well, the latest reports suggest that the sign-stealing scandal wasn’t the only major fiasco Jim Harbaugh got out of. Per the Athletic’s Austin Meek, the NCAA issued a Level I violation against Harbaugh in December 2023 for “allegedly providing false or misleading information in an investigation into recruiting infractions during the COVID-19 dead period.”

Providing an update to this Notice of Allegations, Meek confirmed the news that “Michigan and Jim Harbaugh filed responses to the NCAA from the Notice of Allegations sent in December for COVID-19 recruiting violations and Harbaugh’s alleged failure to cooperate.” Along with these Level I allegations, which had filed responses, some Level II charges were also included in the notice related to ‘impermissible contact with recruits and analysts performing coaching duties’.

However, these Level II violations were considered less severe, resulting in the two parties reaching a common ground through a negotiated resolution. Along with this 2020 recruiting fiasco, the sign-stealing scandal’s investigations are also underway in Michigan. Suitable for Harbaugh that he has found a way out, a lucrative $80 million one, for that matter.

Jim Harbaugh’s $80 million contract with the Chargers

The newly unveiled culprit for letting Jim Harbaugh leave Michigan and not providing him with enough support in dealing with the sign-stealing debacle is reported to be delayed negotiations by Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel. Warde’s lack of communication led Jim Harbaugh to sign a $16 million per year, five-year-long contract with the Los Angeles Chargers. It totals Harbaugh’s contract amount to a whopping $80 million, making him the second-highest-paid NFL coach in the mix.

READ ALSO: Jim Harbaugh Contract Update: Michigan AD Offers Fresh Insights Into HC’s Future Amidst Rumors of Chargers Switch

As far as the sign-stealing scandal is concerned, Harbaugh has to worry about it less and less, since Moore has stepped up, handling the reins. “All I know is this team is as good as any team in the country and they prove it every week,” Moore said about the sign-stealing scandal, per ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. The real action and its reaction would be on full display in the regular season. Until then, the fans can only wish for Michigan to find a way out of the fiasco.

READ MORE: “He Can’t Be Jim Harbaugh”: Sherrone Moore Slapped With Challenging Reality Check as Michigan’s New Era Begins