Texas Coaching Rumors: Jim Harbaugh, Who Turned Down 49ers Extension Offer, Surfaces as Longhorns Candidate [VIDEO]

The Texas Longhorns football head coaching situation has become laughable. Just ask Jim Harbaugh.

Rumors have popped up that Texas just might ask Harbaugh to be its next coach. Harbaugh, the San Francisco 49ers coach, made light of the situation when he was asked about it Thursday.

But he didn't deny the possibility.

NESN.com reported that Harbaugh should be among the list of candidates to replace Mack Brown as coach of the Longhorns. By the way, Brown still is the coach at Texas.

NESN admitted that professional head coaches who just took their team to the Super Bowl the previous season don't usually leave to take college coaching positions, and Harbaugh has the team gearing up for another run in 2013.

NESN, however, referenced a Sports Illustrated article that reported Harbaugh turned down a two-year extension with the 49ers before the season.

SI speculated that Harbaugh, who is in the third year of a five-year, $25 million contract in San Francisco, believes he's not considered on par with higher-paid coaches Bill Belichick, Andy Reid and Chip Kelly. Even his own brother, the Baltimore Ravens' John Harbaugh, makes $7 million.

And rumors have circulated that Texas is willing to pay as much as $10 million a year to Alabama coach Nick Saban to come to Texas.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, Harbaugh was asked about the Texas job and acted as if the question was not a serious one.

"Are you trying to be funny?" Harbaugh said. "... I don't ever talk about any job other than the one I have."

Multiple media reports have indicated that Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin also has emerged as a candidate.

At the very least, the rumors help Texas gain some leverage back in its pursuit of Saban, if indeed the Longhorns are pursuing Saban. And that's if Mack Brown decides to step down or is fired. Neither scenario has happened.