The New York Giants announced on Jan. 17 that they have hired former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh for the same role.
Harbaugh, 63, was fired by the Ravens on Jan. 6 and was almost immediately linked to the Giants’ opening. The Giants went 4-13 in 2025, the latest in a string of underwhelming seasons for one of the NFL’s flagship franchises. The Giants are 55-109-1 since Tom Coughlin retired following the 2015 season.
Harbaugh will be introduced as Giants head coach in a news conference on Jan. 20.
“We are proud to name John Harbaugh as the next head coach of the New York Giants,” team president John Mara said in a statement. “[General manager] Joe Schoen presented us an outstanding group of candidates, which allowed us to be deliberate and confident in this decision. Through numerous conversations, John consistently stood out for his conviction and vision for leading a winning organization, and we welcome him and his family to the Giants.”
The Giants have been seeking stability at head coach since Coughlin’s exit. In the past decade, the Giants have been led by Ben McAdoo (2016-2017), Steve Spagnuolo (interim), Pat Shurmur (2018-2019), Joe Judge (2020-2021), Brian Daboll (2022-2025) and Mike Kafka (interim).
That makes Harbaugh the perfect fit in New York. He spent 18 years as the head coach of the Ravens, posting a 180-113 mark, earning 12 trips to the playoffs and building a reputation as one of the best coaches in the sport. He won Super Bowl XLVII in February 2013 and took home Coach of the Year honors in 2019.
Harbaugh is also very familiar with the NFC East, having worked for the Philadelphia Eagles as a special teams coordinator (1998-2006) and defensive backs coach (2007). In 18 years as the head coach of the Ravens, Harbaugh went 10-5 against Dallas, Philadelphia and Washington, teams he will now be facing twice a year.
Harbaugh’s success in New York will be tied to 2025 first-round pick Jaxson Dart, who showed promise during his rookie season in 2025. The 6-foot-2, 223-pound quarterback made 12 starts for the Giants, throwing for 2,272 yards and 15 touchdowns while completing 63.7 percent of his throws. Dart ran 86 times for 487 yards as well, though there is some concern about the hits he takes. Harbaugh also inherits edge rusher Brian Burns, who racked up 16.5 sacks in 2025.
Edge rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter, defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, wide receiver Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo are all under contract as well. The Giants have the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, giving Harbaugh a chance to add another difference-maker to the team.
The Ravens remain in the process of finding the fourth head coach in franchise history.
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