In his first extended public comments since being passed over for the Vikings job, Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh called the Vikings a "first-class operation" with "first-class people" on Thursday evening while speaking with Mitch Albom for the Detroit Free Press.
But Harbaugh admitted the feelings about Wednesday's interview weren't precisely mutual. Moments after Harbaugh's daylong interview at TCO Performance Center, the Vikings' internal search team, led by co-owners Zygi and Mark Wilf and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, decided to hire Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell as the next head coach. The Vikings did not offer Harbaugh the job, a source said after the meeting.