Report: Jim Harbaugh saves up to $5 million by choosing Michigan over Raiders

As if the reported 6-year, $48 million contract Michigan is said to be giving Jim Harbaugh to take over as head coach wasn't enough, the 49ers are giving Harbaugh extra incentive to leave the NFL for the college game.

The 49ers and Harbaugh are making a mutual split, free and clear. That means no firing, no resignation, no trade. But according to sources close to Mark Purdy, that split comes without a buyout requirement so long as Harbaugh leaves for college instead of, say, signing with cross-bay rival Oakland Raiders.

Also, my source says, Harbaugh is not required to fufill his @49ers contract clause of $3-$5 million buyout if he leaves for a college job.

— Mark Purdy (@MercPurdy) December 29, 2014

The interesting thing is, Michigan would probably have been more than willing to pay the buyout. But without it, there is greater incentive for Harbaugh to get out of the 49ers hair for a while.

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