Sources: Jim Harbaugh, 49ers agree to 5 year deal

[charlie and algernon]

Jim Harbaugh has agreed to a five-year, $25 million contract to become the San Francisco 49ers' head coach Friday, according to team and league sources.

The 49ers announced a news conference scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET, but did not indicate the reason.

Earlier Friday, a source told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen that Stanford was the favorite to retain Harbaugh's services.

On Thursday, Harbaugh met with top Stanford officials -- including university president John Hennessey -- so that the school could make its best offer to try to retain him. The university reportedly increased an offer it had made to Harbaugh in December.

The 49ers met with Harbaugh Wednesday, and a source said that on Thursday night, after news broke that Harbaugh would not go to the Miami Dolphins, San Francisco was willing to increase its offer.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5999744

[charlie and algernon]

1. hmm, wonder how official this actually is, ESPN doesn't really seem to know.

[RockaFowler]

2. Is ESPN grasping at straws?/

They really have egg on their face regarding the Sparano/Dolphins thing. I mean they insisted that Harbaugh was a done deal to Miami.

[trumad]

3. Wow-------

he gave up a bunch of money to do it... Phins were throwing 7 to 8 mill at him per year...

This is just 5.

Never underestimate the power of the wife and kids.

[Auggie]

4. He comes to the weakest division in the NFL too

[AsahinaKimi]

5. Its a done deal..

49ers name Harbaugh as head coach

(01-07) 16:36 PST -- The 49ers hired Jim Harbaugh on Friday as their new head coach, signing him to a 5-year $25 million deal.

Harbaugh replaces Mike Singletary, who was fired after the team's penultimate game of the season. Harbaugh just coached Stanford to a 12-1 season including a victory in the Orange Bowl on Monday night.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/07/SPOQ1H5U48.DTL

[bluedigger]

6. Smart guy.

Doesn't even have to move, and takes the opening that probably has the easiest opportunity for quick success. Money isn't everything.

[Upton]

7. Harbaugh is who the 49er fanbase wanted

this is a real coup for Jed York.