The New York Giants introduced John Harbaugh as the franchise’s 21st head coach. Here are the three biggest takeaways from Harbaugh’s introductory press conference.
John Harbaugh Hoping for Success in Second Act
. His first head coaching stint with the Baltimore Ravens lasted 18 seasons.
Harbaugh went 180-113 in the regular season and led the Ravens to 12 playoff berths. The Ravens earned six AFC North titles, appeared in four AFC Championships, and won Super Bowl XLVII.
Harbaugh will now try to emulate that success in New York.
There are several examples of coaches succeeding in their second NFL stop. Harbaugh knows two of these coaches rather well.
John’s brother, Jim Harbaugh, brought the San Francisco 49ers to three NFC Championships and one Super Bowl (against John’s Ravens).
Jim is now finding success with the Los Angeles Chargers, leading the team to double-digit wins and two consecutive playoff appearances.
“As a matter of fact, that’s what my brother told me,” . “He said you’re going to be really excited to walk into that room for the first time with a different team, a team that you haven’t been around, and just start fresh from the beginning and kind of build it up the way you want to – new, knowing all the things you know now that you’ve learned in the last 18 years or last 28 years. I just can’t wait.”
Harbaugh also worked with the Philadelphia Eagles under Andy Reid from 1999 through 2007. Reid famously left the Eagles to coach the Kansas City Chiefs, where he has since won three Super Bowls.
“Andy is a man of few words, and his four words to me were: Change can be good,” Harbaugh said in the presser. “That’s what he said, change can be good. He was excited. He’s fired up for us. He’s a good friend. Yeah, we’ll try to do — how about we do this, how about we deal that right now. We’ll sign up for that deal right now, what he did in Kansas City. Let’s do that.”
John Harbaugh Will Collaborate With Front Office
Awesome picture of John Harbaugh and John Mara at today's press conference.
Harbaugh today: "John Mara is running football operations — and he's running it — and I'm glad he is."
(h/t Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) pic.twitter.com/PKbEtAr4b6
— Anthony Rivardo (@Anthony_Rivardo) January 20, 2026
One of the biggest points on contention during this process has been the chain of command. Does Harbaugh report to owner John Mara, or to the duo of John Mara’s son, Chris, and general manager Joe Schoen?
“I know that’s a big deal around here: ‘Final say,'” Chris Mara said. “[Harbaugh] doesn’t have final say. It’s collaborative, and he’s the first to admit that. If he has final say with everything in that building, he wouldn’t be able to do his job. He’s going to be the most important cog in the wheel. Let’s put it that way. But in terms of final say, this is going to be a collaborative effort between ownership, the general manager, and coach.”
Despite Chris Mara’s comments, John Mara said Harbaugh is “running football operations.”
Who Will Join John Harbaugh’s Staff?
A head coach is only as strong as his staff.
Finding the right offensive and defensive coordinators will be one of Harbaugh’s biggest priorities. Harbaugh said that staff interviews will begin tomorrow.
Todd Monken, who coached with Harbaugh in Baltimore, is the favorite to be the Giants’ offensive coordinator.
Anthony Weaver, Jonathan Gannon, and Zach Orr are candidates to become the defensive coordinator.