Jim Harbaugh might not be leaving Michigan for the NFL after all.

The Wolverines coach addressed his seniors Sunday night at a team banquet and seemingly hinted at his own return when asking players to do the same.

"I just wanna say, I hope some of you are coming back next year," Harbaugh said, per Derick Hutchinson of Local 4 WDIV Detroit.

Harbaugh has been in the NFL coaching rumor mill ever since he left the San Francisco 49ers at the end of the 2014 season. He interviewed for the Minnesota Vikings in 2022 and the Denver Broncos earlier this year before ultimately deciding to stay at Michigan.

There's little doubt NFL teams will come calling again, with some likely even offering Harbaugh personnel control to lure him back to the pro game. Harbaugh went 44-19-1 in four seasons with the 49ers but left the organization amid tension with then-general manager Trent Baalke.

"It was 2014, it was the first season that Levi's opened up and there was so much tension between ownership and Harbaugh. General manager [Trent] Baalke and Harbaugh did not get along, it was known," former 49ers offensive tackle Joe Staley said on the Mojobreak Media podcast. "Harbaugh was going into his fourth year and Harbaugh was an amazing coach, but he also is a unique coach.

"Obviously, his personality rubs people [the wrong way], he's hard to get along with consistently. If you're a Harbaugh guy, you're in his camp and if you're not, you're very against him. That was building over the last two years prior to that. Just looking back on that era of 49ers football, I had never had so many conversations with ownership, with general management, with head coaches about stuff that did not apply to football. It was just like, 'Why am I talking about this? Keep it about football.' That was the situation we were in."

While Michigan went undefeated in the regular season and will open the College Football Playoffs as the No. 1 seed, it's been anything but an easy 2023 for Harbaugh. He was suspended for the first three games of the season for violation of recruiting rules and then missed three more games when the Big Ten suspended him amid an NCAA investigation into a sign-stealing scheme allegedly led by former assistant Connor Stalions.

The issues with the rules have led to further speculation 2023 will be Harbaugh's last at Michigan. However, the university appears committed to its coach.

Richard Johnson of Sports Illustrated reported Michigan was preparing to offer Harbaugh a five-year, $55 million contract extension but would be seeking assurances he will not pursue NFL opportunities.

The fact that contract is not signed yet may speak volumes.