Jim Harbaugh makes feelings clear on NCAA's punishment order over Michigan sign-stealing scandal

Jim Harbaugh may be back in the NFL, but the NCAA isn’t letting him off the hook for his Michigan days. On Friday, the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions officially dropped the hammer on the Wolverines for the Connor Stalions-led sign-stealing scandal.

The NCAA slapped the Michigan program with financial and coaching penalties that will hold back the Wolverines for several years. The biggest blow from the NCAA's order is that Michigan will forfeit postseason revenue for the next two seasons, an expected hit of at least $20 million to the school.

Head coach Sherrone Moore will also serve a one-game suspension in 2026, in addition to a two-game self-imposed ban in 2025. Still, the Wolverines avoided the worst-case scenario of a postseason ban.

Former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who delivered a national championship to Ann Arbor in 2023-24, wasn’t spared either. He received a 10-year show-cause penalty with a four-year penalty already in place, effectively blocking him from a college football return until 2038.

When asked about the sanctions after the Chargers’ 23-22 preseason loss to the Rams, Harbaugh said.

“Like I said last year, I’m not engaging. I’m done engaging.”

Kris Rhim

@krisrhim1

Jim Harbaugh on the latest NCAA sanctions for Gil and Michigan: “Like I told you last year, I’m not engaging. I’m done engaging.”

For now, his focus is on Los Angeles’ season opener against the Chiefs in Brazil on September 5. Meanwhile, the NFL and Chargers declined to comment when pressed on whether the league might step in, keeping Harbaugh’s future a hot-button storyline.

Jim Harbaugh addresses preseason loss to Rams

Chargers may have dropped their preseason matchup to the Rams, but Jim Harbaugh isn’t sounding any alarms. Instead, he's focused on the positives, especially quarterback Justin Herbert finally suiting up in a preseason game.

Herbert, who has never played a snap in the NFL preseason, pushed for live action.

“It was actually me going to him and saying, ‘Hey, would it be OK if I went in and played?’” Herbert stated.

For him, the goal was simple: to feel the heat of a real pass rush before Week 1. Harbaugh agreed, giving his starters a series to work on timing.

“Our guys want to play,” he said. “They want the first series of the season not to be the first series of the season.”

The Chargers came away with more than a loss, with Herbert finally shaking off the rust under game pressure.