When the Denver Broncos fired Nathaniel Hackett last December, many onlookers, both within the media and fanbase alike, figured Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh would be the top choice to take the job, given the Wal-Mart money and former colleague Condaleeza Rice as part of the ownership group.
Yet, after a virtual interview, neither side could come to an agreement, and after several more interviews with various candidates, the Broncos finally hired Super Bowl winner Sean Payton as the team’s next head coach. If Harbaugh was indeed the top choice, that’s a hell of a consolation prize.