Jim Harbaugh says goodbye in final 49ers press conference

Jim Harbaugh’s postgame press conference after the San Francisco 49ers beat the Arizona Cardinals ended up being a goodbye speech, as Harbaugh reflected on his time with San Francisco. He even got a Gatorade bath and the game ball from his players. The two parties have “mutually parted ways” after his four years at the helm of the 49ers, according to a statement released by the organization.

Regarding the reports of him leaving the organization and where he will be headed, he said that “There will be announcements concerning those things.”

However, he didn’t bite on where he was going. When asked if he would miss the NFL — implying he was going to Michigan, as widely reported — he responded with his typical wit.

“Is the NFL going anywhere,” he asked, to a laughing room.

Despite the laughs, the fact that a decision is seemingly coming soon is good news for Michigan fans. If Harbaugh quickly joined an NFL team, there would likely be allegations of tampering, as other teams in the league would have needed to get permission from the 49ers to talk to him. Michigan, a college team, did not need to follow those rules and already gave its pitch. Moreover, since this is a “mutual parting of ways,” means there is likely no buyout, so it’s more likely that his next team will be Michigan, not a team the Niners would want to keep him away from, like the Oakland Raiders.

Here were the highlights regarding his job status, his relationship with the 49ers and more: