Giants to hire John Harbaugh: Why fired Ravens coach chose NY over Falcons, Titans, others

Giants hire John Harbaugh: Why fired Ravens coach chose New York over Falcons, Titans and others originally appeared on The Sporting News. Click here to add Sports News as your go-to source.

After 18 years with one team, some coaches might want to take a break. However, when John Harbaugh was fired by the Baltimore Ravens, he quickly expressed his readiness to coach again in 2026.

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What was expected to be a quiet coaching cycle in the NFL quickly turned into a frenzy once Harbaugh entered the field, attracting interest from most teams with openings.

After weighing his options, Harbaugh chose New York as his new home Wednesday night as the two sides work to finalize a deal for Harbaugh to become the Giants’ next head coach, replacing Brian Daboll.

Harbaugh took an extended visit with Giants brass on Wednesday, touring the facility and reportedly meeting with team quarterback Jaxson Dart. He was scheduled to interview with the Titans and Falcons in the coming days, but ultimately chose New York.

Contract terms were still being finalized Thursday morning, but the deal was expected to be finalized “barring setbacks,” according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

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NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that Todd Monken, Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator in Baltimore for the past three seasons, is a “primary candidate” to take the same position as Harbaugh in New York.

Here’s what you need to know about why Harbaugh joined the Giants as their next head coach.

More:Why did the Ravens fire John Harbaugh?

Why did John Harbaugh choose the Giants?

Their recent record may not indicate it, but the Giants are one of the most attractive jobs this offseason for one reason: quarterback Jaxon Dart.

While the allure of coaching in New York (or, more accurately, around New York) in front of passionate fans may have played a role for Harbaugh, the opportunity to lead a team that already had a long-term solution at the quarterback position was a tough one to pass up for the veteran coach.

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With Malik Nabors back from injury, key pieces on defense in place, and another high draft pick this year, the Giants’ outlook is pretty positive despite a chaotic 2025 season.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported days after Harbaugh was fired in Baltimore that he was already watching film on the Darts and Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward. Both quarterbacks showed flashes in bad situations as rookies, with Ward gaining momentum late in the season, but Harbaugh ultimately chose to go with Dart and take over a team that won a championship under the current ownership setup.

Harbaugh told at least one person about film research [of Dart] Gave him a lot of exciting things,” reported Russini.

The Titans are off to a pretty attractive start thanks to Ward, with a new stadium set to be built in 2027 and plenty of available cap space in the coming years. But Nashville’s ownership situation doesn’t bring much stability. The Titans have fired a head coach or general manager in each of the past four seasons — GM Jon Robinson in 2022, HC Mike Vrabel after 2023, GM Len Casson after 2024 and HC Brian Callahan in 2025 — before shuffling their front office again before 2026.

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This kind of turnover doesn’t bode well for the next head coach, and while Giants owners have shown their loyalty to general manager Joe Schoen, they may not be in a rush to push such an accomplished coach out the door if the organization’s turnaround takes longer than expected.

Harbaugh is targeting a turnaround from a more competitive 2026 before he attempts to become the first Giants coach since Tom Coughlin to enter his fifth season.

More:Ranking every NFL head coaching vacancy

john harbaugh records

When Harbaugh returned as head coach, his 180 wins ranked 14th in NFL history and third among all active coaches. He has just three losing seasons with the Ravens, including an 8-9 record in 2025.

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Harbaugh has a career playoff record of 13-11, including 47 Super Bowl wins.

More:Updated 2026 NFL Mock Draft

John Harbaugh coaching schedule

• 1984-86： Western Michigan (RBs coach, OLBs coach)

• 1987: Pittsburgh (TEs coach)

• 1988: Morehead State: (Special Teams Coach)

• 1989-96： Cincinnati (Special Teams Coordinator)

• 1997: Indiana (DBs coach, special teams coordinator)

• 1998-2006: Philadelphia Eagles (Special Teams Coordinator)

• 2007: Philadelphia Eagles(DBs coach)

• 2008-25： Baltimore Ravens (Head Coach)

While most coaches are used to going from team to team, Harbaugh has only been on the team twice in his entire NFL career.

Harbaugh joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 1998 as special teams coordinator after entering college and stayed in that position for nine years before transitioning to defensive backs coach in 2007.

After Brian Billick was fired at the end of the 2007 season, the Ravens took a gamble on Harbaugh despite having no experience as an offensive or defensive coordinator. In the end, the gamble paid off, with Harbaugh playing 18 years in Baltimore and winning a Super Bowl.

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How old is John Harbaugh?

Harbaugh is 63 years old. He’s older than his brother, Jim, and will once again become one of the oldest active head coaches in the NFL once the dust settles on this year’s recruiting cycle.

While many NFL teams are leaning toward youth when looking for head coaches, Harbaugh still appears to be energetic and has generated significant interest from around the league after being fired by the Ravens.