Former Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh takes bold shots at NCAA amid $2.7 billion lawsuit: "They have no credibility"
Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh jumped ship to the NFL after a scandal-filled final season with the Michigan Wolverines, which culminated in a national championship win. The NCAA has been on his case for a while now and a few weeks ago, sanctioned him with a four-year show-cause penalty.
Harbaugh has been investigated by the NCAA on two separate occasions. The first was due to improper recruitment practices and the second was during the Connor Stalions-led sign-stealing controversy that rocked college football last season.
In a recent interview with ESPN, Harbaugh took bold shots at the NCAA, criticizing the organization over their $2.7 billion lawsuit filed by student-athletes. The lawsuit resulted in a historic court settlement requiring the NCAA to pay the athletes.
"I'm stopping the engagement there with commenting," Jim Harbaugh said. "They've (NCAA) been keeping money away from players for decades. They just got hit with a $2.7 billion lawsuit. They have no credibility. That's the truth."
Jim Harbaugh continues to fight the NCAA on several fronts
Jim Harbaugh was named in the NCAA's notice of allegations by the NCAA due to a widespread sign-stealing scandal by Michigan staffer Connor Stallions, which led to the Big Ten suspending him for three games towards the end of the 2023 season.
During an interview with ESPN, Harbaugh firmly denied the charges leveled against him protesting his innocence in the scandal that plagued the Wolverines throughout their national championship-winning season.
"Never lie. Never cheat. Never steal. I was raised with that lesson," Harbaugh said. "I have raised my family on that lesson. I have preached that lesson to the teams that I have coached. No one is perfect. If you stumble, you apologize and you make it right. Today, I do not apologize. I did not participate, was not aware nor complicit in those said allegations. So, it's back to work and attacking with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind."
The show cause penalty that Jim Harbaugh got was separate from the one leveled against him in the NCAA's notice of allegations, as it was due to improper recruitment practices during the COVID-19 dead period.
As a result, the Chargers coach will serve a one-year suspension and has a four-year show cause penalty leveled against him due to non-compliance during the extensive investigation by the NCAA which will likely prevent him from getting a college football job until 2028.
Tom Mars, Harbaugh's lawyer, rubbished the sanctions by the NCAA on his client on X to continue one of the longest-running fights a coach has taken against the NCAA.