EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The NFL coaching carousel was turned on its head last week when the Baltimore Ravens dumped John Harbaugh into the pool of candidates. It’s not every year that a coach with a Super Bowl win and 18 years proof of concept enters the NFL portal.
It’s why every team that had a head coaching vacancy (and at least one team that didn’t) reached out to Harbaugh’s agent immediately. The New York Giants among them.
In the first 45 minutes after John Harbaugh was fired this afternoon, his agent Bryan Harlan said he received calls from seven NFL teams expressing interest in his client.
There currently are seven NFL head coach openings, including Baltimore’s. pic.twitter.com/ey5vYsLcrZ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2026
There is mutual interest between Harbaugh and the Giants, according to multiple sources aware of the situation. He is believed to be at the top of the Giants’ list. The Giants are believed to be near the top of Harbaugh’s list, along with the Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins, but if the Green Bay Packers‘ position were to come open, they’d also figure to be a top choice.
The Falcons interviewed Harbaugh on Monday. Giants executive Chris Mara told The Athletic that he met Harbaugh for lunch Sunday and had an informal meeting at the coach’s house. Harbaugh has also spoken with Giants general manager Joe Schoen over the past week about the position, a source with knowledge of the situation told ESPN.
The strong interest from the Giants is no surprise considering Harbaugh has almost 200 career wins and a .609 career winning percentage. That means he has won almost 61% of the games he’s coached, including the playoffs. The Giants are an organization that has won only 36% of its games over the past 14 years. Only the Browns, Jaguars and Jets have been worse during that span.
When the two sides likely meet later this week or early next week (the Giants are expected to get their shot at speaking with him face to face), Harbaugh will be vetting them perhaps more than they are vetting him. His extensive track record affords him that luxury and control. In essence, he gets to call his own shot.
The veteran head coach is said to be looking for a team that has a strong quarterback situation, according to a source close to Harbaugh. The Giants have Jaxson Dart, a talented rookie who works best off-platform in much the same way that Lamar Jackson does in Baltimore. The Falcons have Michael Penix Jr. entering his third year off a third ACL repair. The Titans have last year’s No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward who finished the season strong and is known as a hard-working team guy. The Dolphins are in a tough spot with Tua Tagovailoa.
Draft capital is also important. This would allow Harbaugh the opportunity to add good, young players in much the same way they did in Baltimore during much of his tenure. The Giants have the fifth pick. They don’t have a third-round pick this season (that was used to get Dart in the 2025 draft), but they could perhaps replenish with a trade. The Falcons don’t have a first-round pick this year. The Titans, meanwhile, have the fourth pick and a full allotment of selections.
Then there is the idea of having a strong salary cap situation and financial flexibility. The Giants are currently estimated to have just over $20 million in cap space this offseason (which will grow significantly with some cuts) and over $100 million in 2027. That kind of flexibility will allow them to supplement the roster sufficiently with free agents. It puts them on at least equal ground with their competitors for Harbaugh.
Ownership, management structure and general manager will also be factors. Giants ownership generally has a good reputation. There aren’t believed to be any real red flags with the organization, and the presence of general manager Joe Schoen, to this point, hasn’t been mentioned as a problem, the source close to Harbaugh said.
It all gives the Giants a chance. If not Harbaugh, those same sources close to the situation have said former Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski and former Raiders coach and Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce impressed in interviews.
There are not a lack of quality options. Among those who have interviewed to date are: Stefanski, Pierce, former Falcons coach Raheem Morris, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Broncos assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi and interim coach Mike Kafka. Kubiak, Joseph and Rizzi were done remotely because their teams are still in the playoffs.
Former Packers and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is expected to interview in person Tuesday, and Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo will be done via Zoom.
This is the current state of the Giants’ coaching search, with wild-card-round coordinators on deck. Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula and Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter are all expected to interview as well.
The Giants’ interview process has been thorough. At least some of the candidates who met with the team at the facility have sat down with an ownership group consisting of John Mara, Steve Tisch and Chris Mara. It’s notable that John Mara is meeting with candidates, because he is undergoing cancer treatments.
“We’re going to cast a wide net, and there’s no directive that it has to be an offensive guy or defensive guy or special teams or college or whatever it may be, having head coaching experience previously,” Schoen said earlier this month. “We are going to find the best leader for the franchise.”
Harbaugh could be that guy. It’s more a question of does he want them? Only time will tell.
Getting first crack at Harbaugh could be key.
When Harbaugh’s mentor, Andy Reid, left the Eagles in 2012, he was a coveted coach. The Chiefs came to Philadelphia to meet with Reid, and the rest is history.
He never did make visits or speak with the waiting Cardinals and Chargers. In this case, the Giants would like to be like the Chiefs — and not let Harbaugh out of the building.
