Giants working to finalize deal and hire John Harbaugh as their next coach, per report

The New York Giants are working to finalize an agreement with former Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh to be their next coach, ESPN has reported. The deal is not done just yet, and contract numbers are still being negotiated. However, it appears Harbaugh has chosen his suitor.

Harbaugh was fired by the Ravens on Jan. 6 following Baltimore's season-ending loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was the winningest coach in franchise history, going 180-113 during his 18 seasons, won Super Bowl XLVII in 2013 and was named Coach of the Year in 2019.

While Harbaugh won 10 playoff games in his first seven seasons with the Ravens, he won just three postseason matchups over the last 11 years. Harbaugh was reportedly confident he would return to Baltimore to chase a Lombardi Trophy in 2026, but the Ravens made the decision to search for another coach that can get the most out of two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson. 

When the Ravens made the surprising decision to fire Harbaugh, his agent said he received calls from seven different teams expressing interest in his client 45 minutes after the news broke, per ESPN. There were only six other head coach openings at the time. Harbaugh formally interviewed with the Giants on Wednesday with team owners John Mara and Steve Tisch reportedly in attendance, along with quarterback Jaxson Dart, per NFL Media.

Harbaugh is set to replace Brian Daboll, who went 20-40-1 in his four seasons as lead man. The former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator went 9-7-1 in his first season back in 2022, won NFL Coach of the Year and upset the Minnesota Vikings in the playoffs. However, the Giants took a step back the next season with a 6-11 record, and went 3-14 in 2024 before Daboll was finally fired 10 games into the 2025 season.

Overall, the Giants have struggled ever since Tom Coughlin resigned following the 2015 season. All four full-time head coaches finished with losing records. The Giants have the second-worst record in the NFL (55-109-1) in the 10 seasons since the Coughlin era ended. Only the New York Jets have been worse.

Giants' coaches since Tom Coughlin (2016)

*denotes interim

For all of the struggles, the Giants were still considered to be one of the most attractive open jobs this offseason. 

New York owns the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, has a prospective franchise quarterback in Dart, a talented running back with Cam Skattebo, a star wideout in Malik Nabers and then plenty of talent on the defensive line with Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence II and Abdul Carter. Now, they have new hope that comes in the form of an experienced coach that knows how to not only find success, but sustain it.