Asked about Alex Boone‘s holdout and Vernon Davis‘ near-holdout, as well as his own contract situation, 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh took the opportunity to set the record straight regarding rumors about his deal with the Niners, in a conversation with Jason Cole of Bleacher Report.
“I signed my 10th contract in the National Football League in 2011, so I understand contracts,” Harbaugh said. “I understand how contracts work, and what they are there for. I also know that I work at the pleasure of the San Francisco 49ers organization and at the pleasure of the York Family. And I am paid extremely well – which I am most grateful for – and I am very proud to be part of this organization. For the record, I have never asked to be the highest-paid coach in football. I have never asked to be paid like a Super Bowl-winning coach. I have never asked for more power. Nor has anybody asked for those things on my behalf, which anybody in this organization can attest to, and all the focus will be on the 2014 season and achieving our goals of the team.”
Harbaugh’s comments seem to be directly reference an early-June report which suggested that contract talks between the Niners and their head coach had reached an impasse. While further discussions may still be on hold, it doesn’t sound as if Harbaugh is unhappy with his situation, which figures to be addressed after the 2014 season.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Cardinals GM Steve Keim and cornerback Patrick Peterson both appear committed to working out a long-term extension sooner rather than later, with Keim indicating the team has had “great talks” with agent Joel Segal, and Peterson saying the two sides are in “pretty heated negotiations.” Still, as Tom Pelissero of USA Today writes, no template has been set yet for how to account for the 2015 options for 2011 first-rounders when negotiating their second contracts.
- After speaking to “key people” within the Packers‘ organization, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com came away more convinced than ever that general manager Ted Thompson has no plans to retire anytime soon.
- Peter King of TheMMQB.com takes a look at Jordan Gross’ somewhat surprising decision to retire after the 2013 season, and how the longtime Panthers tackle is transitioning into his post-playing career.
- The Vikings are bringing in prominent criminal attorney Ted Wells, who headed the report on the Dolphins’ bullying scandal, to work on settlement talks for the Chris Kluwe investigation, a source tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.