John Harbaugh said investigators are empty-handed in their investigation of his brother, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.
“I’ve talked to him quite a bit. I have a lot of opinions on it, obviously. I’m his brother, and I’m proud as heck of him. I’m really impressed with the way he’s handled himself through all this. It’s been a long run,” John, the Baltimore Ravens coach, said Tuesday. “Everything can be done to his phones, his computers and all that stuff have been looked at. He’s come through this thing with flying colors. I don’t know what they’re trying to get, but they don’t have anything of substance.”
While John said the investigators may not have a smoking gun, the Big Ten has already punished Jim for Michigan’s alleged sign-stealing scheme.
Jim is not allowed on the sidelines for Michigan’s final three regular-season games, which included last week’s 24-15 win over then-No. 10 Penn State and the upcoming heavyweight fight against bitter rival No. 3 Ohio State on Nov. 25 in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The Michigan coach has maintained his innocence amid the allegations, distancing himself from alleged mastermind Connor Stalions.
John praised his brother for how he’s handled himself amid the scrutiny.
“I’m proud of him, and it’s a real compliment to our family and him, something for us to be proud of. And his kids can see this, you get in this kind of situation where you come under fire for whatever reasons and you come out in a really good place doing the right thing all the time,” John said. “I’m really proud of that, and I think it’s great for family, kids and I think it’s a great blessing in that sense. He’s a great man, he’s a great coach, his players love him, his coaches love him and he stands tall through all this.”
John took time to defend his younger brother while preparing for Thursday’s important matchup against the Bengals, which could play a big role in whether the Ravens win the AFC North.
He said he’s not sure if he’ll use his free Saturday to attend Michigan’s road game against Maryland, which would not require much travel from the Baltimore area.
“Let’s get through Thursday night and see where we’re at, but I’ll definitely be pulling for him and the whole team on Saturday, for sure,” John said. “But we’re thinking about Thursday night, 100 percent.”
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