It’s taking longer than expected to dot the i’s and cross the t’s, but the Giants have their guys. The Giants announced the official hiring of John Harbaugh on Saturday afternoon. He became the 21st head coach in team history.
“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. “Joe Schoen introduced us to an outstanding group of candidates, allowing us to make this decision with thoughtful consideration and confidence. Through multiple conversations, John consistently stood out for his belief and vision to lead a winning organization, and we welcome him and his family to the Giants.”
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Harbaugh, 63, has been the head coach for 180 of Baltimore’s 276 regular-season wins in franchise history. Those wins led to 12 playoff appearances in 18 seasons, including six division titles, four AFC Championship Game appearances and one Super Bowl XLVII victory.
Harbaugh’s 13 playoff wins are tied for seventh in league history and second only to Andy Reid among active head coaches.
“John is a proven winner with disciplined, tough and well-prepared teams,” Giants president Steve Tish said in a statement. “His passion for the game, ability to connect with players and leadership experience at the highest level make him a great fit for us and we are excited to move forward together.”
Harbaugh has the most road playoff wins as a head coach in NFL history (eight). Tom Coughlin led the Giants to two Super Bowl championships, and Tom Landry ranked second with seven Super Bowl championships each. Harbaugh is the only head coach to win a playoff game in each of his first five seasons.
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“Throughout our conversations, John stood out for his clarity of thought, competitiveness and approach to building a sustainable winning program,” general manager Joe Schoen said in a statement. “He has a proven track record of developing players, developing a cohesive staff and setting clear standards of accountability. We are excited to partner with John to move this team in the right direction.”
Harbaugh Reports directly to ownershipwhich may be part of the block in “Language” bargaining It’s been a few days. Nonetheless, Harbaugh is now the Giants’ head coach.
“I want to thank John Mara, Steve Tish, Chris Mara and Joe Schoen for the opportunity to lead the New York Giants,” Harbaugh said in a statement. “Serving as the head coach of this team is a tremendous honor. I come from a football family and I have deep respect for the history and tradition of this organization.
“I’m excited to begin building our staff and begin building our team. I want to sincerely thank Steve Bisciotti and the Baltimore Ravens for an extraordinary 18 years, including the opportunity to be a head coach in the National Football League.
“My family and I are grateful for the welcome we have felt and we look forward to becoming a part of the Giants family.”
