John Harbaugh Leaves New York Without Deal; Titans Set For Tomorrow

10:30pm: Hours after Harbaugh departed from New York with intentions of meeting with the Titans in Baltimore tomorrow morning, Paul Schwartz of The New York Post reports that “all signs point to John Harbaugh becoming the next head coach of the Giants.” No official reports from either party have indicated that Schwartz’s report is accurate, but it appears the first big domino of the head coach hiring cycle could be falling fairly soon. Hughes of SportsNet New York expects a decision to be made by the end of the weekend.

9:03pm: Former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh met with the Giants today, and despite the team’s best efforts, he went home without having signed a contract. New York doesn’t seem too discouraged, though, as the general media takeaway is that it was a very good visit, and it would’ve been a shock to see Harbaugh deviate from his established plan to meet with multiple teams. Instead, we’ll see Harbaugh do just that, as he is set to meet with the Titans tomorrow, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

Per Ralph Vacchiano, the team flew Harbaugh out to New Jersey on team co-owner Steve Tisch‘s private plane early this morning. After touching down, Harbaugh was given a tour of the facility where he spent over five hours meeting with Tisch and fellow co-owner John Mara, as well as general manager Joe Schoen and other members of the team’s front office. And it was a good thing Harbaugh had done his homework on rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, because he got to meet the 22-year-old as part of the team’s all-out pitch.

Vacchiano also mentions that the team made it clear they were willing to offer him “almost anything he wants.” As a franchise, they made the decision to make the most of their shot by “going for broke.” Their intentions were to convince Harbaugh that the Giants are the best franchise for him, with Schoen assuring him that he’s willing to cede some power for personnel decision-making over the potential head coach. Additionally, Harbaugh spent time on the phone with “several prominent Giants alumni,” including former quarterback Eli Manning and former head coach Tom Coughlin. Even Brian Daboll, who was the one that vacated the seat Harbaugh is now vying for, called Harbaugh and “raved about his experience in the organization.”

The Giants made it known that while Harbaugh’s demands have been “significant,” they “don’t seem to be too extensive.” In fact, they metaphorically pulled out the check book tonight to let him know that they are willing to meet his asking price and even shell out for a top-quality staff beneath him. Per Connor Hughes of SportsNet New York made “a massive push” to try and get a deal with Harbaugh done today. The plot thickened as the evening wore on and Harbaugh’s ride home remained parked in New Jersey as the Giants blitzed Harbaugh in an attempt to land a signature before he left. Ultimately, Harbaugh’s plane did depart for Baltimore, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, as the free agent left without committing.

Harbaugh spurning the Giants’ best efforts doesn’t necessarily reflect badly on New York. As Mike Garafolo of NFL Network pointed out, Harbaugh’s insistence on meeting with multiple teams was always a part of his plan and is just the process playing out. Now Tennessee decision-makers will fly out tomorrow morning to meet Harbaugh on his turf, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor disclosed his understanding that New York could be the only team facility that Harbaugh intends to visit, with the remaining meetings set to happen at his home in Baltimore. O’Connor’s colleague at The Athletic, Dan Duggan, posited that it’s hard “to imagine taking a job like this without stepping foot in the building,” so New York’s ability to get him onsite may already put them at a huge advantage.

Regardless, Harbaugh will continue his process with the Titans tomorrow in Baltimore. As Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated points out, even before today, Harbaugh has been extremely thorough in vetting the current openings, and he has all the leverage at the moment that allows him to be patient. As for the Giants, they’ve been understanding of his process, and despite the fact that he left today without a contract, NFL insider Jordan Schultz claims “there’s no panic” in the building.