The New York Giants are on the verge of signing John Harbaugh as their new head coach. The news was first reported late Wednesday night by Adam Schefter, and nothing official has come out since then. However, several other respected journalists expect an announcement sometime this weekend.
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It would be a home run of a hire for the Giants if they can secure Harbaugh. The veteran coach spent 18 years with the Baltimore Ravens before being fired just over a week ago, yet he still boasts an impressive resume. That pedigree explains why the Giants moved quickly to pursue him.
This is, after all, a franchise that has been in disarray since winning its last Super Bowl in 2011. Since then, New York has reached the playoffs only twice and owns just one postseason win. If all goes according to plan and Harbaugh is hired, former head coach Rex Ryan is confident the Giants can finally overcome their playoff woes.
“You put the right guy in that situation, they may go to number 1 in the league in defense. So, to me, I think absolutely, this is a playoff team,” Ryan stated on NFL on ESPN.
“John Harbaugh, in his first year, rookie head coach, had a rookie quarterback, and went to a Championship Game. That’s happened I think 5 times in the history of the NFL,” he added.
It was a strong argument that Ryan made. The Giants’ roster is already fairly stacked for a new head coach to walk into. They have a quarterback entering his second season with plenty of upside in Jaxson Dart. They also have Cam Skattebo, who is expected to recover from his ankle injury and be ready to go next year. On top of that, Malik Nabers should be fully recovered from his ACL tear.
Furthermore, the Giants’ defensive front is loaded with talent. The secondary could use some work, but they have a bevy of players who can rush the passer at an elite level. It’s a solid framework for Harbaugh to work with, especially since he specialized in finding quality safeties and cornerbacks during his time with the Ravens.
However, in response to Ryan’s comments, the NFL community didn’t pull any punches. Many seem to have had enough of the idea that Harbaugh would walk into New York and instantly find success.
“Harbaugh is a good coach and a quality man, but he’s not Vince Lombardi. And at 63, he’s not going to be coaching 18 seasons there, like he did in Ballrimore. This whole narrative these past few days has made him sound like a king,” one expressed.
“Every week Rex Ryan shows us why he’s not coaching any more,” another brutally chimed in.
“They [the Ravens] just won 4 games lol,” someone else piled on.
Harbaugh is a good coach and a quality man, but he’s not Vince Lombardi. And at 63, he’s not going to be coaching 18 seasons there like he did in Ballrimore. This whole narrative these past few days has made him sound like a king.
— Kim (@UndertheMDsun1) January 17, 2026
Although there were some fans who agreed with Ryan’s take on Harbaugh. “Rex knows… Giants looking dangerous,” one wrote.
It will be interesting to see how Harbaugh fares with the Giants. This could go either really well or really badly. There does not seem to be much in between.
Fans are also justified in feeling wary about Harbaugh’s current ceiling as a coach. He led the Ravens to the playoffs six times in the past eight seasons, yet went 3-6 in those postseason appearances and made just one trip to the AFC Championship Game.
At the same time, there is a reason Harbaugh became the belle of the ball the moment he hit the coaching market. He is a consummate professional, widely respected inside the building, and players genuinely enjoy playing for him. In Baltimore, he built a culture centered on accountability, respect, and passion for the game. Those are qualities any organization would want to replicate.
At the end of the day, though, Harbaugh has still not officially signed with New York. There could be a contract hold-up that derails the entire situation. So it is best not to get too far ahead of ourselves. There is still a world where he pulls out of this deal and joins another team. How wild would that be?
