University of Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh will pass his 2021 bonuses forward to athletic department staff members who hit by Covid-related pay cuts.
Jim Harbaugh's base salary this year is $4 million. (Photo: University of Michigan Athletic Department)
Harbaugh, whose base salary is $4 million this year, already earned another $500,000 for winning the Big Ten East championship last Saturday by beating Ohio State. He "could potentially receive nearly $3.5 million in incentive bonuses," Angelique Chengelis writes at The Detroit News.
Harbaugh, appearing on the "Inside Michigan Football" radio show Monday night said he and his wife, Sarah, decided Sunday night they wanted to give back. ...
"We decided that any bonus money that I am to receive through this season will be redirected to reimburse UM athletic department employees who have stayed while taking a voluntary or mandatory pay reduction during the last 18 months during the pandemic." ...
Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel laid off 21 people in the athletic department last year because of budget losses owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and had 15 unfilled positions. The department also had comprehensive salary freezes and reductions ranging between 5% and 10% for most employees.
Last weekend's 42-27 win earned the Wolverines a spot in the Big Ten championship game against Iowa on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. This is the 11th Big Ten title game and Michigan’s first appearance.
Harbaugh, in his seventh season coaching his alma mater, signed a contract extension earlier this year that cut his salary in half and was incentive-laden. He earned $4 million for his base salary and has a maximum incentives bonus of $3.475 million this year. If Michigan beats Iowa on Saturday for the Big Ten title, Harbaugh will earn $1 million.
