Harbaugh considering return?
Former Bears quarterback Jim Harbaugh “might be tempted” to leave Michigan for an NFL head-coaching job this offseason, The Athletic reported Tuesday.
While that could be enticing to teams that have openings, like the Jaguars and Raiders, or a team like the Bears that’s expected to have an opening as soon as the season ends, it could also be a maneuver by Harbaugh to rework the contract extension he signed with Michigan a year ago.
He is coming off his best season with the Wolverines at 12-2 with a College Football Playoff berth.
The Bears haven’t given any public indication of their plans, but it seems like a near-certainty that they will fire coach Matt Nagy after the season finale Sunday at the Vikings. Nagy went 12-4 and won the NFC North in his first season, but has gone 22-26 since.
The Bears drafted Harbaugh No. 29 overall out of Michigan in 1987 and he played seven seasons for them. He left Stanford to coach the 49ers in 2011 and led them to the Super Bowl the next season before what was called a mutual parting after the 2014 season. He went 44-19-1 with the 49ers and won five playoff games.
Jason Lieser
Mayfield to have surgery
Mayfield is sitting out the season finale against the Bengals so he can have surgery on his left shoulder, an injury that affected his performance, contributed to the Browns’ falling way short of expectations and may have altered the path of his career.
Mayfield, who played with a torn labrum suffered in Week 2 and a fracture in his nonthrowing shoulder for most of the season, was sacked nine times in a 26-14 loss to the Steelers on Monday night.
The Browns picked up Mayfield’s fifthyear, $18.8 million contract option for 2022, but his erratic and often poor play this season has raised doubts as to whether the team wants to go forward with him.
COVID updates
The Packers activated two starters, safety Darnell Savage and defensive lineman Kingsley Keke, from the COVID list, along with reserve tackle Dennis Kelly and backup receiver Amari Rodgers. Lineman Billy Turner went on the COVID-19 list. The Packers have locked up the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The Cardinals also had a pair of starters return: tackle D.J. Humphries and linebacker Markus Golden. Bengals sacks leader Trey Hendrickson (14), safety Vonn Bell, center Trey Hopkins and left guard Quinton Spain were placed on the COVID-19 reserve list.
This and that
Titans outside linebacker Bud Dupree has been charged with misdemeanor assault in connection with a physical altercation at a Walgreens in Nashville. Dupree is scheduled to be booked in three weeks.
† Doug Dieken, the Browns radio color commentator since 1985, retired. He took that job after 14 years as an offensive tackle for the team after being drafted in the sixth round out of Illinois in 1971.
† Michigan outside linebacker David Ojabo and Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad ‘‘Sauce’’ Gardner and running back Jerome Ford will skip their senior seasons and make themselves available for the NFL Draft.