Are we sure the door has closed on Jim Harbaugh coaching the Broncos?

The Denver Broncos won’t be hiring Jim Harbaugh as the franchise’s 20th head coach.

Or so we think.

Harbaugh put out a statement saying he was returning to Michigan next year, and that’s the general expectation. But are we sure that door has closed? That’s the question “Stokley and Zach” asked on 104.3 The Fan on Monday. The guys aren’t convinced it’s a sure thing.

“Last year, Jim Harbaugh was embarrassed. He was personally embarrassed. He thought he had the Vikings job and they spurned him at the final bell and they hired Kevin O’Connell,” Zach Bye said. “Harbaugh didn’t get that job but he had every intention on leaving. This time around I don’t think he wants to go through that again, but I do think there’s a reason why he interviewed with the Broncos.”

Bye went on to ask a couple of very interesting questions, including why hasn’t Harbaugh gotten a new deal with the Wolverines yet?

“Why would you interview for a job that you’re not interested in? You are interested. But you don’t want to get embarrassed for a second year in a row in similar fashion. And you know what we haven’t heard since then? That Jim Harbaugh’s got a 10-year Mel Tucker deal with Michigan. It’s all quiet on the maize and blue front. A little bit too quiet,” Bye said.

While Sean Payton and Dan Quinn appear to be the favorites to land the Denver job, Bye says not so fast. Broncos CEO Greg Penner could know that Harbaugh is still interested and lurking.

“Did Jim Harbaugh maybe put it in the Broncos ear that ‘hey, I’m going to leave the light on for you, like Motel 6. And you let me know after you’re done with all your candidates and all your interviews if you want to bang a (u-turn). I will be in Ann Arbor and I will leave the light on for you. And if you offer me that job, I will take that job,'” Bye said.

Brandon Stokley said he doesn’t think it will happen, but that his partner could be on to something with Harbaugh and the Broncos not being totally dead yet.

“That obviously isn’t what you’re predicting. But that’s the in-case-of-fire-break-glass and that’s the fire extinguisher to get this dang thing out. That’s what you’re talking about, and I think it has to be considered, certainly. Because Jim Harbaugh wants to coach in the NFL,” Stokley said.

To listen to full episodes of “Stokley and Zach,” click here.

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