Giants Interested In RB Kenneth Walker, Travis Etienne; Latest On New York’s FA Approach
While maybe not reaching Kirk Cousins– or Antonio Brown-level PFR volume, Saquon Barkley‘s final years as a Giant took up considerable space here. Giants brass could not extend him in 2022, franchise-tagged the Pro Bowler in 2023 and drew a hard line on his value in 2024 when no offer emerged. The Eagles benefited.
The Giants have since revamped their power structure, and it looks to be affecting their valuation of veteran running backs. With John Harbaugh calling the shots now and Joe Schoen losing considerable power, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes the Giants are believed to be interested in Kenneth Walker and Travis Etienne.
[RELATED: Giants Aiming To Trade OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux]
New York is showing considerable interest in beefing up its ground game, with Raanan adding connections to Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love have emerged as well. Love is viewed by some as this draft’s top prospect. His positional value will naturally result in a bit of a drop, but the Fighting Irish standout should not need to wait too long before hearing his name called in April. The Giants, who hold the No. 5 overall pick, striking early for a high-end free agent RB would seemingly send Love elsewhere.
With Breece Hall officially franchise-tagged at today’s deadline, Walker is expected to fetch the top RB contract in free agency. Confirming the Giants are interested, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan wonders if the team would be willing to go where that market ends up considering the team has other needs. That could be where Etienne comes in, with some more affordable backs — from Rico Dowdle to Tyler Allgeier to Kenneth Gainwell — set to be available too. Though, SNY’s Connor Hughes adds a “strong” push for a veteran starter-level option should be expected.
Walker, 25, is looking likely to reach free agency. Mutual interest exists between the Super Bowl MVP and the Seahawks, but they lose exclusive negotiating rights at 11am CT March 9, when the legal tampering period begins. Etienne, 27, played out his fifth-year option in Jacksonville and has more career carries — after a higher-volume college career — than Walker. His market should not be as costly, but the five-year Jaguar is better in pass protection and as a receiver.
The Giants have Cam Skattebo signed through 2027, and Tyrone Tracy‘s rookie deal runs through 2026. But Harbaugh is now calling the shots. Schoen said he is still leading the football operation, but Duggan confirmed a recent report that indicates new hire Dawn Aponte reports directly to Harbaugh. Schoen also confirmed (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) the Giants’ analytics and video departments now report to Aponte, creating a strange dynamic for the contract-year GM. Schoen still oversees the scouting department.
The Giants have had their GMs report to ownership for eons, but they adjusted the long-held structure for Harbaugh, whose imprint on the roster will be felt soon. Schoen did not confirm he would solely run free agency; it can be expected Harbaugh and Aponte will have significant say in that effort. More cap cuts are coming, but the Giants are still interested in retaining some of their own.
Already mentioned as being interested in retaining Wan’Dale Robinson, the Giants are seeing what it will take to keep Jermaine Eluemunor and Cor’Dale Flott. Harbaugh said (via the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz) the team wants to keep all three UFAs-to-be. The Giants met with David Mulugheta, who represents Eluemunor and Flott, at the Combine, Duggan adds.
Eluemunor, 31, maneuvered for a two-year deal in 2024 — an underrated subplot in HBO’s captivating Hard Knocks: Offseason effort — and it looks likely to work to his advantage. Braden Smith appears to be this market’s top right tackle, but he is coming off three seasons shortened by either injury or illness.
Eluemunor played both RT and LT in New York, starting all 31 games he played from 2024-25. His health stands to create a solid market, as both Smith and Jack Conklin come with notable injury pasts. Eluemunor also began his career with the Ravens, playing for Harbaugh from 2017-18. If Eluemunor departs, Duggan notes the team will be expected to pursue a free agent RT replacement.
Flott, 24, overtook former first-rounder Deonte Banks in Big Blue’s cornerback hierarchy. He outplayed the 2023 draftee opposite Paulson Adebo last season and may do reasonably well on the market. He is one of the youngest corners available. Converted from a slot player to primarily a boundary defender, Flott started 37 games with the Giants.
While Banks’ rookie deal runs through 2026, he has been linked to trade rumors amid a disappointing tenure. Harbaugh’s team will likely pursue an outside replacement if Flott departs. He is expected to draw significant FA interest, per Hughes, which could put the Giants in the market for a replacement.
Schwartz adds the Giants have “varying degrees of interest” in retaining tight end Daniel Bellinger and linebacker Micah McFadden. The Giants are higher on third-year veteran Theo Johnson than most around the league, Duggan adds, to the point Isaiah Likely may not be a strong candidate to follow Harbaugh from Baltimore.
Still, Hughes indicates tight end should be considered a priority in free agency. If Likely is deemed too pricey, the likes of Cade Otton, Chig Okonkwo, David Njoku and Dallas Goedert are poised to be available. Will this pursuit be to replace Johnson or complement him?
A 42-game starter on his rookie contract, Bellinger has played at least 51% of the Giants’ offensive snaps in three of his four seasons. He was used more frequently before Johnson’s arrival, however. McFadden started 36 games during his rookie deal but was limited to one in 2025; a season-ending foot injury in Week 1 impacted his free agent stock. The Giants releasing Bobby Okereke tonight and having McFadden unsigned makes linebacker a key need, one of a few the team carries into free agency.
Giants’ Dawn Aponte Hire To Strip Some Of GM Joe Schoen’s Power?
The fact that hiring John Harbaugh as head coach meant the Giants would be required to change their front office structure was no small story. In fact, it was such a big factor that it was part of the reason for a multi-day delay between when the team announced its intentions to hire Harbaugh and when the deal was finalized.
We’d only really gotten small tidbits about how different the structure would be, but Ian O’Connor of The Athletic dropped a few key details this evening that certainly show significant potential change.
Before O’Connor’s report today, the tidbits that we’d gotten were minor. Harbaugh wanted to have roster input. Harbaugh would report directly to owner John Mara and not general manager Joe Schoen. It was a similar situation to what Harbaugh had grown accustomed to in Baltimore and didn’t seem to be shaking up the boat too much. Schoen wanted to be sure Harbaugh wouldn’t be importing front office staffers to slowly take control of a front office that had been Schoen’s domain.
That appears to still be mostly the case, but there was one hire of Harbaugh’s that appears to be mixing things up. Per O’Connor, Harbaugh was pivotal in the team’s efforts to hire Dawn Aponte away from the league office. Aponte’s position with New York has been designated as senior vice president of football operations and strategy. According to Pat Leonard of NY Daily News Sports, she will be responsible for “strategic planning for football operations, analytics, salary cap management, player contract negotiations, compliance, and working closely with the college and pro personnel departments.”
That’s not all Leonard says. If it seems like several of those responsibilities would usually reside with the general manager, it’s because they would. Per Leonard, Schoen has essentially been “relegated to handling scouting” and the “rest of the building reports to Dawn.” In addition, both O’Connor and Leonard report that Aponte will report to Harbaugh, so it is beginning to look as if Harbaugh is encroaching quite a bit more than initially understood on the duties of the general manager.
O’Connor’s report doesn’t pose the situation as nearly as much of a takeover as Leonard is painting it out to be, though. He includes quotes from Harbaugh on how impressed he’s been with Schoen and how well they are working together as they both work on building the team’s new staff and future roster. But, if what Leonard claims is true, it’s hard not to believe that Schoen is getting quietly pushed into a corner. The Giants paid a lot of money and agreed to a lot of concessions in order to bring Harbaugh in to lead their team. Time will tell how each new change will affect the team’s future success.
Giants Would Not Have Changed Reporting Structure For Another HC; Titans, John Harbaugh Remained In Contact
The Giants considered other candidates, but this year’s first team to make a hire made no secret of John Harbaugh‘s frontrunner status. After a near-three-day delay, the longtime Ravens coach officially took the reins with the Giants on Saturday.
A key part of the delay stemmed from reporting structure. The Giants had previously had their head coach report to the GM, who in turn reported to ownership. Harbaugh confirmed last week he will join GM Joe Schoen in reporting to ownership. Had the Giants hired another coach, however, senior personnel consultant Chris Mara said (via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan) the team would not have signed off on that coach reporting directly to ownership.
Mara also indicated the Giants wanted the deal done before playoff teams could make strong pitches. We heard of potential Bills and Packers interest; the Buffalo job is now available. Mara and Harbaugh had not met before a summit at the coach’s home, but the two have been regularly communicating since that initial meeting. Chris Mara is taking on more responsibilities with brother John Mara battling cancer.
Harbaugh carried considerable leverage, being the rumored favorite in a few cities. The Titans had a big offer prepared, but the Giants convinced the high-profile coaching free agent not to take that meeting. The Falcons did meet with Harbaugh virtually but were unable to schedule a second interview.
A high Giants salary, believed to be around $20MM per year, played into that. The Giants made a strong first offer, per The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor, who reports New York initially came in at $18.5MM AAV. O’Connor confirms Harbaugh will make $20MM per year; that sits $13MM north of what the Giants were paying Brian Daboll.
The Giants and Harbaugh entered negotiations about a deal on January 15, but the sides did not have a signed agreement until Jan. 18. Although Harbaugh had canceled his Titans in-person interview, O’Connor reports the AFC South team remained in communication with the coach’s camp during the time between his Giants talks and the agreement becoming official. Other teams wondered if the delay in Harbaugh finalizing his Giants deal meant there was trouble afoot, and O’Connor adds at least one other club was set to make a nine-figure offer to the Super Bowl-winning HC if his Giants talks fizzled. The Falcons hired Kevin Stefanski hours after the official Harbaugh agreement; the Titans hired Robert Saleh on Monday night.
A Friday report indicated Schoen’s status served as an impediment during the Giants’ negotiations, but Harbaugh is signed to work with the fifth-year GM. Schoen confirmed Tuesday (via Duggan) he is “not worried” about both he and Harbaugh reporting to ownership, though this is a major change in Giants business.
Schoen is coming off three straight double-digit loss seasons, but Giants ownership let him run the coaching search. No Trent Baalke-like situation formed, as the Giants were able to bring Harbaugh aboard with Schoen still employed. Though, this partnership will be worth monitoring given Harbaugh’s power.
As the Giants-Harbaugh talks dragged on, the coach and Chris Mara met at an undisclosed location Friday, O’Connor adds. Though, Harbaugh did respond with a shrug emoji (to The Athletic) in a text message regarding his belief he would end up as Giants HC as of Friday night. The Giants’ reporting structure had been in place dating back to Bill Parcells, who reported to Hall of Fame GM George Young. Fellow two-time Super Bowl winner Tom Coughlin reported to Ernie Accorsi and then Jerry Reese, but Harbaugh possessed enough leverage to convince the Giants to change up. Coughlin helped arrange one of the Harbaugh-Mara meetings, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes.
While Harbaugh called the reporting structure issue “overblown,” it is clear this was important to the second-chance HC. Mara added (via Raanan) Harbaugh does not have true final say, calling it “collaborative.” It would still stand to reason Harbaugh will hold the hammer over Schoen, given the latter’s struggles and the Giants altering their long-held workflow.
“I know that’s a big deal around here: ‘Final say,'” Mara said. “[Harbaugh] doesn’t have final say. It’s collaborative, and he’s the first to admit that. If he has final say with everything in that building, he wouldn’t be able to do his job. He’s going to be the most important cog in the wheel. Let’s put it that way. But in terms of final say, this is going to be a collaborative effort between ownership, general manager and coach.”
Schoen said (via Duggan) no Ravens front office staffers, as of now, are following Harbaugh to New York. Front office contracts generally run through the draft, though, so May could be a more notable point on the calendar with regards to any Baltimore-to-New York treks. But the Giants will be expected to target ex-Ravens in free agency, SNY’s Connor Hughes notes.
Baltimore has some notable players unsigned for 2026. All-Pro center Tyler Linderbaum has been a Ravens priority, but he is not a franchise tag candidate due to the tag formula grouping all O-line salaries together. This leads to guards being rarely tagged; centers always skate to free agency. Baltimore also has guard starter Daniel Faalele, tight end Isaiah Likely, safety Ar’Darius Washington and fullback Patrick Ricard set for free agency.
The Giants have used John Michael Schmitz as their starting center since drafting him in the 2023 second round, but the Minnesota product has not graded well yet. Linderbaum will be one of the most coveted free agents available if he reaches the market. With Todd Monken likely to become the Giants’ OC, an aggressive Linderbaum pursuit would make sense. While the veteran wants to stay in Baltimore, he and the Ravens were not close on a deal as of mid-November. The Ravens have exclusive negotiating rights with pending UFAs until the legal tampering period begins March 9.
Giants Finalize Deal To Hire John Harbaugh As Head Coach
The Giants have finalized a five-year deal with John Harbaugh to make him the team’s new head coach, per Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo, and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
“I’m proud and honored to the head coach of this historic franchise, and especially excited to work with the Mara and Tisch families,” Harbaugh said (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). “But most of all, I can’t wait to get started with the great players on this football team to see what we can accomplish together.” The 63-year-old is set to host his first press conference as the Giants’ head coach on Tuesday, per Garafolo.
Harbaugh emerged as the leading candidate for the Giants’ head coaching vacancy shortly after he was fired by the Ravens last week. He visited New York on Wednesday for a lengthy in-person meeting, but no deal came together before Harbaugh flew back to his (current) home in Baltimore. On Wednesday night, however, it was reported that Harbaugh accepted the job, which kicked off a multi-day process to finalize the agreement. The five-year deal is expected to be worth at least $100MM, per FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano, keeping Harbaugh as one of the highest-paid coaches in the league.
Compensation, however, was not the reason for this week’s delay, as that sum was agreed upon early in the negotiating process, according to Garafolo. Instead, Harbaugh wanted to change the Giants’ leadership hierarchy into one that more resembled the Ravens’. In the past, New York’s head coach has reported to the team’s general manager, who in turn reported to ownership, but in Baltimore, Harbaugh reported directly to owner Steve Bisciotti. The Giants agreed to Harbaugh’s terms and formalized the new reporting structure in his contract, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
“I report to [Giants owner] John Mara,” Harbaugh confirmed (via The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor). He added that he looks forward to forming a strong partnership with general manager Joe Schoen, who was a key part of the Giants’ full-court press to land the veteran head coach. It remains to be seen if there will be any other formal division of powers beyond the reporting structure written into Harbaugh’s deal.
Harbaugh will now get to work building his coaching staff. The Giants promised to spare no expense in hiring his assistants, many of whom will likely come from his previous staffs in Baltimore. Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is considered the top candidate for the Giants’ OC job, though he is also scheduled for a second head coaching interview with the Browns. Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, who was Harbaugh’s assistant head coach in Baltimore in 2022 and 2023, is at the top of the team’s list of DC candidates.
After Harbaugh hires his top lieutenants, he will work with them to hire the rest of his staff. The Giants have already notified some of their incumbent coaches that they will be moving in a different direction, per The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.
At the same time, Harbaugh – and his new staff, as they come aboard – will get to work evaluating New York’s roster to prepare for the offseason. None will be more important than quarterback Jaxson Dart, who Harbaugh had already scouted in advance of his trip to New York, where the two got some face time.
“I’m very excited about these players,” Harbaugh said (via O’Connor). “I spoke with Jaxson two or three times at length & I couldn’t be more impressed with him. Watched him on tape, he had a heckuva rookie season and he’s got the right mindset. That is one tough dude.”
Harbaugh coached a few current Giants during his time in Baltimore, including linebacker Chris Board and safety Beau Brade. Pending free agent right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor started his career as a Ravens fifth-round pick in 2017, and offensive lineman Reid Holskey spent his first NFL training camp under Harbaugh last summer. In general, though, he will be working with a brand-new group of players.
“I think the Giants roster is strong and it’s our job to make it stronger,” Harbaugh continued, per O’Connor. “We are going to compete for the playoffs and for championships. I expect and want to make the playoffs next year.”
That proclamation will gladden the hearts of Giants fans who have only witnessed two playoff berths since the team’s 2011 Super Bowl victory. New York has gone through multiple attempted rebuilds since, including their latest effort led by Schoen and Daboll that featured a wild card win in their first year and a 13-38 record since. Daboll was removed in November with the team headed for its third straight season with double-digit losses.
Consistent playoff appearances were a hallmark of Harbaugh’s time in Baltimore. The Ravens made the postseason in 12 of his 18 seasons as head coach, including five straight berths to start his tenure, culminating in a 2012 Super Bowl win. In the last eight seasons with Lamar Jackson, the team qualified for the playoffs six times, though Baltimore never won more than one game in a single postseason. Those struggles, as well as a concerning pattern of blown double-digit leads, were ultimately the impetus behind Harbaugh’s firing in Baltimore.
Harbaugh will be looking to bring that regular-season success to New York along with the strong culture and coaching staff he built in Baltimore. The Giants have a tight cap situation at the moment, but they could use Harbaugh’s reputation to draw a strong free agent class at more affordable prices. The team is also slated for the No. 5 pick in April’s draft, which will be one of Harbaugh’s biggest early decisions as a head coach.
Joe Schoen’s Status Factoring Into Giants’ Delay With John Harbaugh?
Early in the Giants’ John Harbaugh courtship, a rumor suggested the high-profile HC free agent would not have an issue working with GM Joe Schoen. The Giants are planning to retain Schoen, but the embattled exec’s status may be a factor in Harbaugh’s deal not being done yet.
As of Friday afternoon, the deal is not done. The sides were working on contract language this morning, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who adds money is not believed to be an issue. Harbaugh is expected to receive a deal in the $20MM-per-year range, which will place him among the NFL’s highest-paid HCs.
But an issue may be forming with regard to organizational power. Rumblings have emerged Schoen’s role in the Giants’ new setup has been a partial cause of this delay, according to the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard. Harbaugh, 63, was believed to have a Titans offer in place. He also appeared to be the Falcons’ top choice, and the Browns wanted to meet with him. This created considerable leverage, and it should translate to the 18-year HC veteran having at least some personnel say.
Schoen certainly is not in a position to win a power struggle here, but he is believed to have spoken with Harbaugh many times since his Ravens firing. That would point to the four-year Giants GM being in the team’s Harbaugh-era plan, but Leonard adds several sources informed him Harbaugh would likely want Schoen gone or at least see the GM’s power reduced. This could lead to a setup with Harbaugh carrying final personnel say, should he want it.
The Giants are prepared to give Harbaugh a monster deal to succeed Brian Daboll, who had come over from Buffalo with Schoen. It would be odd for Giants ownership, who needed to confirm Schoen was merely keeping his job for 2025, to back a GM who has yet to produce a 10-win season. There are likely more factors at play here, but Schoen’s role being one of them is interesting.
Any Harbaugh proposed changes to Schoen-overseen departments were expected to “create discomfort” during the process, per Leonard. Schoen’s modernization of the Giants’ operation was believed to be a selling point for the team, which kept him after firing Daboll in November. Potential moves to remove staffers with ties to ownership, with the potential for Harbaugh to bring in some of his own people, also loom as an issue.
We have seen new coaching hires lead to GM changes recently. The Jaguars booted Trent Baalke because his presence running their HC search was impeding a chance to hire strong candidates, and Liam Coen signed on shortly after that firing. In 2019, the Jets fired Mike Maccagnan after his first draft with new HC hire Adam Gase. In 2017, the Bills made the same move with Doug Whaley, ousting him months after hiring Sean McDermott. Eventually, GMs handpicked by the coaches — Joe Douglas, Brandon Beane — arrived in those AFC East cities post-draft.
Schoen said he did not envision his presence hurting the Giants’ GM search, and Harbaugh making New York his first visit pointed to a future working with Schoen. But this process dragging on has certainly become interesting. Considering the role Schoen has played in the Harbaugh search, it would surprise if the Giants traveled down this road. But this will be a situation to monitor as the team continues work on hammering out the expected HC’s contract.
Latest On John Harbaugh: Giants, Contract, Manning, Staff, Titans, Falcons
John Harbaugh‘s impending deal with the Giants will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the league. According to Jordan Schultz, the contract is expected to be worth nearly $100MM over five years.
[RELATED: John Harbaugh Expected To Become Giants’ Next HC, Pending Finalized Agreement]
It’s not a surprise that Harbaugh will earn such a lucrative payday; there were rumblings that the Giants were basically willing to pay him whatever he wanted. The nearly $20MM average annual salary would top the rumored $17MM annual salary he was earning in Baltimore, and it would rival the lucrative contracts signed by Andy Reid ($20MM/year) and Sean Payton ($18MM/year).
Of course, money wasn’t the only reason that Harbaugh committed to the Giants, as it sounds like other suitors were willing to open the check books for the former Super Bowl-winning coach. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Titans had an offer ready for Harbaugh and were willing to do whatever it took to get him in Tennessee. Harbaugh had a meeting scheduled with the Titans for this morning, and Rapoport notes that Titans leadership was indeed planning to fly to the coach’s Maryland home today. However, the organization was informed last night that Harbaugh was finalizing his deal with the Giants.
Harbaugh did his research prior to his handshake deal with the Giants, reaching out to coaches, executives, and even former players. According to Russini, Harbaugh talked with Giants GM Joe Schoen everyday after he was let go by the Ravens. The coach also reached out to a number of the positional coaches from Brian Daboll’s staff to “pick their brains on the state of the roster,” per Connor Hughes of SNYtv. To top it all off, Harbaugh even spoke with Eli Manning about the opportunity, according to veteran reporter Gary Myers.
Now, Harbaugh will be tasked with turning around a franchise that’s only made two postseason appearances since their Super Bowl XLVI victory. Some pundits initially wondered if Harbaugh may avoid a relatively tough NFC East. However, Ian O’Connor of The Athletic notes that when he pointed out that the Falcons and the NFC South would represent the easiest playoff path for the coach, Harbaugh’s camp indicated that he wasn’t afraid of the NFC East competition.
To help him top the division and return to relevance, Harbaugh will have to fill out his coaching staff. We heard earlier today that Ravens OC Todd Monken was likely to join his former boss in the same role in New York, and a number of other coaches are expected to follow. According to Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports, Harbaugh will likely “bring a lot of his Ravens staff” to New York, and the new head coach isn’t anticipating resistance from the Ravens. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic echoes that sentiment, although the reporter warns that the Ravens may try to retain a handful of their preferred coaches.
Harbaugh may also be recruiting some members of previous staffs to New York. According to Hughes, Anthony Weaver is among the Giants targets for defensive coordinator. Weaver spent three years on Harbaugh’s staff in Baltimore, serving as the team’s defensive line coach. He was a candidate to replace Mike Macdonald as the Ravens defensive coordinator in 2022, but Harbaugh ended up opting for Zach Orr, opening the door for Weaver to leave for the DC role in Miami. Now, Harbaugh has a chance to reunite with the coach in his next stop.
John Harbaugh Didn’t Lose Locker Room?
In an appearance today on The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s Adam Schefter pushed back on one of the narratives that gained traction in the wake of John Harbaugh‘s dismissal in Baltimore. As McAfee suggested the insiders had seen this coming, Schefter voiced his dissent to the notion Harbaugh had lost the locker room.
“I don’t think that information right there could be any…less true,” Schefter exclaimed. “The players were coming to his office, crying, hugging him, sending him ‘goodbyes,’ calling him one by one. If they felt that way, why are Mark Andrews and Zay Flowers and Isaiah Likely and all these players coming in crying, hugging him, giving him these long, warm goodbyes. I’m not buying it.”
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As the interview continued, McAfee appealed to one of his frequent guests, former NFL center A.Q. Shipley to back up what Schefter was claiming. Shipley, who played for Harbaugh and the Ravens back in 2013, the second season of his eight-year career, called Harbaugh his favorite coach, after which Schefter chimed in to say that “that would be consistent with the type of things” that he had heard from other players. Shipley pointed to instances in which Harbaugh had his players’ backs and spoke to the respect that those moments garnered within Shipley and his teammates.
As McAfee went on to question why the departure would occur, if that were the case, Schefter mused on the concept that, sometimes, it’s just time for a change. He pointed to the Broncos as a two-time example of this fact, first utilizing the example of Dan Reeves. Reeves coached Denver for the first 12 years of his coaching career, amassed a 110-73-1 record, made the playoffs six times, won the division five times, advanced to the AFC Championship four times, and advanced to three Super Bowls but lost all three. Then-owner Pat Bowlen opted to part ways with Reeves and promoted Wade Phillips. Though, two years later Bowlen circled back to Mike Shanahan, who would win back-to-back Super Bowls shortly after, the first championships in franchise history.
Later on, in Denver, John Fox stepped in as head coach, and in a short, four-year stint went 46-18, winning the AFC West every season but losing his only Super Bowl appearance in 2013. Once again, the Broncos decided to move on from success, and Gary Kubiak won them their third Super Bowl the next year. Harbaugh had so much success up front, winning nine playoff games in his first five years, but as the franchise concluded his 18th season seeing only four more playoff wins in the 13 years since their Super Bowl victory, it’s clear there was a similar feeling with owner Steve Bisciotti.
It’s not all gloom for Harbaugh, though, as Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports reports that nine suitors have already emerged for Harbaugh; there are only seven open jobs in the NFL right now, including Baltimore. That means three teams with head coaches in place already have kicked the tires to inquire about his possible interest. The Dolphins are one such team, per Vacchiano, though Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald pushes back on that notion, “citing people on both sides.” And, though the other teams remain unnamed, Vacchiano also mentions “a big push” that could come from a team “playing this weekend in the wild-card playoff round.”
Harbaugh has most notably been made the No. 1 target for the Giants. They’ve made it no small secret that they are interested in hiring him, and according to Vacchiano, “they are high on Harbaugh’s list,” too. A source from the team claimed, “They have no reason to believe that Harbaugh is not seeking excessive power in the organization or that he feels he wouldn’t be able to work with (general manager Joe Schoen).” And, though Harbaugh has yet to set a meeting with the team, NFL insider Gary Myers backs Vacchiano’s report up, saying himself that Harbaugh “has genuine interest” in the job in New York. In fact, Harbaugh hasn’t made meetings yet with any teams, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the 63-year-old free agent is not expected to take part in any interviews until next week.
In Baltimore, though, the Ravens have hit the ground running in search of only the fourth head coach in franchise history. Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak are both names that have come to the forefront early, but according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN, Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is a name to watch out for as the hiring process picks up. Kubiak is the only one of the three not to have already worked in Baltimore or coached on the defensive side of the ball. Weaver was assistant head coach/defensive line coach for the Ravens not long ago, while Minter worked with the team’s defensive backs from 2017-20.
What’s interesting is that all three candidates have zero head coaching experience. That’s obviously not something that scares off the Ravens, though, considering Harbaugh’s 18 years for the team were his first in a head coaching role. What’s more important, it seems, is the potential that Weaver or Minter could be able to reestablish the defensive identity that made Baltimore such a feared opponent in Harbaugh’s early years, or the idea that an offensive-minded candidate like Kubiak may be just what Lamar Jackson needs to deliver the franchise’s third Super Bowl, one that Jackson promised the day they took him as the last pick in the first round.
Giants To Retain GM Joe Schoen
The Giants are among the teams with a head coaching vacancy. They will not be hiring a new general manager this winter, though.
Joe Schoen has been informed he will remain in place for 2026, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reports. That news comes as little surprise given recent reporting on where this situation stood. Schoen has been in place since 2022, having been hired alongside Brian Daboll that year. Daboll was fired midway through the campaign, but that has not led to a complete housecleaning.
As part of their statement announcing Schoen will remain in his post, the Giants said, “Continuity and stability in the front office is important to our progress.”
The Giants’ desire for front office stability will lead to a fifth season for Schoen, who will be in position to hire his second head coach. Schoen chose Daboll after the two formed a rapport working together in Buffalo. They initially fared well in New York, which finished 9-7-1 and earned a playoff berth in 2022. Daboll won Coach of the Year honors for his effort, but things spiraled from there. The Giants posted a combined 4-13 mark under Daboll and interim head coach Mike Kafka in 2025, their third straight year of missing the postseason. They’ve gone a dismal 13-38 since 2023.
Although the Schoen-led Giants have struggled mightily for most of his tenure, their head coaching vacancy is considered attractive based on some of the talent he has acquired. That includes Schoen draft picks in quarterback Jaxson Dart, wide receiver Malik Nabers, pass rushersKayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter, and running back Cam Skattebo, among others.
Indeed, in their statement, the Giants noted, “We believe in our young core of talent, which we can build around for future success.”
In order for the Giants to get maximum value out of that “young core of talent,” Schoen can’t miss on another head coaching pick. Schoen, who’s leading the search, has already put together the list of candidates he’d like to interview, Connor Hughes of SNY reports. The 46-year-old said weeks ago that he didn’t expect his presence to scare away any potential hires. Fortunately for the Giants, they’ve received “positive feedback” from HC candidates over the decision to keep Schoen, per Josina Anderson of The Exhibit.
While the Giants haven’t formally requested any interviews yet, several names have come up in the rumor mill since Daboll’s firing in early November. Kafka, who went 2-5 in an interim role, may get a look, but Daboll’s full-time successor seems more likely to come from outside the organization.
Former Packers and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, ex-Raiders HC and onetime Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce, Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady and Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb are among potential candidates who have emerged in recent days. Those are just a few possibilities, though, and Schoen is sure to discuss the position with several coaches as he attempts to turn around the franchise.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Giants Planning To Stick With Joe Schoen; Joe Brady, Davis Webb On HC Radar
5:15pm: Stefanski looms as a strong candidate to be dismissed soon, and Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer names him (video link) as a coach to watch closely as the hiring cycle takes shape. Colleague Ralph Vacchiano agrees, and he predicts Stefanski will rise to the top of the Giants’ list of preferred hires if/when he hits the market. Meanwhile, a number of HC candidates have mentioned Stefanski in conversations with Scoop City‘s James Palmer knowing he will be an attractive option for multiple teams. It remains to be seen if the Giants will be one on that front, but that would come as little surprise.
9:33am: Joe Schoen has received praise for modernizing the Giants’ organization, but that has not translated to wins. The Giants will end this season with three or four wins; this follows a 3-14 campaign in which John Mara said his patience had nearly run out. Brian Daboll paid for the Giants’ struggles, but his former Bills coworker has not.
As it stands, Schoen is expected to stay on, with CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones noting his expectation of the embattled GM being given the chance to hire a second coach. One way the Giants could deviate from this planned course: a Trent Baalke-like situation forming.
Last year, the Jaguars had Baalke running their coaching search, keeping the struggling GM after firing Doug Pederson. Weeks into that search, it became clear candidates were expressing hesitancy working with Baalke. This affected the Jags’ pursuit of Ben Johnson, among others. When Liam Coen initially declined a second interview, Shad Khan pulled the plug and fired Baalke. That decision led Coen to Jacksonville. A coach not wanting to work with Schoen could change the Giants’ plans, SI.com’s Albert Breer offers.
Schoen has naturally said he does not anticipate his presence hurting the Giants’ search, but it will be interesting to see if that is the case. The Giants have been one of the NFL’s worst teams over the past nine seasons, qualifying for the playoffs once in that span. They have gone through four full-time HCs since ousting Tom Coughlin. Schoen has been on the job since 2022; the Giants are 12-38 since 2023.
That said, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson notes one expected HC candidate referred to this as the top available job due to the Giants’ rostering Jaxson Dart, some skill-position talent and a formidable defensive line. That D-line, it can be argued, did not play to its potential this season; Dart has also lacked both Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo for most of the year. But those players’ presences stand to help New York’s sales pitches to candidates. Though, plenty of needs exist along this roster.
Mara is battling cancer, and Schoen staying on would give the Giants some stability during this search. Schoen’s 2022 playoff berth being rather fluky notwithstanding, it is clear he has support in the building. It would have to be expected Schoen’s seat would be scorching should he indeed have the chance to hire a second coach, but plenty of names are being connected to this search.
Mike McCarthy, Antonio Pierce, Lou Anarumo and, if he is indeed fired by the Browns, Kevin Stefanski, are among candidates expected to be considered to replace Daboll. The current Bills OC — Joe Brady — is also on the radar, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report.
Brady was not with the Bills when Schoen was in Buffalo, with the ex-Panthers OC arriving as QBs coach weeks after Schoen departed for the Big Apple. Considering the dearth of offense-oriented candidates in this year’s pool, Brady should have plenty of interview opportunities if he indeed wants to leave Buffalo. But the Giants firing a former Josh Allen whisperer only to hire another would be an odd move.
One outside-the-box candidate who could join the lot of aspirants: Davis Webb, per Rapoport and Pelissero. Webb has not yet reached the coordinator level, residing as the Broncos’ QBs coach, but he has an extensive past in New York as a backup/third-string option.
Webb only wrapped his playing career after the 2022 season, being hired on Sean Payton‘s staff. While the Broncos are highly unlikely to lose OC Joe Lombardi — who is not seen as a head coaching candidate — Webb could be poached for an OC position elsewhere. A jump from the position coaching level to HC is highly uncommon, but the Giants appear willing to at least consider the prospect. Webb is just 30.
Even in a league that saw Sean McVay coach the Rams at 31 and Josh McDaniels begin his Broncos HC tenure at 33, this age range is considered a bit young for the job. Webb, though, has seen his stock rise while in Denver. He already earned a prominent assistant job without any previous experience, and the Bills wanted him for their staff before his playing career ended. Webb turned that down to stay on as a Giants backup for one more season; that doubled as Schoen’s first with the team.
Drafting First-Round QB Still On Table For Giants
DECEMBER 31: During his latest episode of Breaking Big Blue, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan notes no one around the NFL is operating with the belief Schoen is in danger of being fired. The team’s head coaching future remains unclear, but it increasingly appears as though no front office moves will be coming.
DECEMBER 28: At times this year, it seemed a low period for the Giants franchise was coming to an end and starting to head uphill as we saw early success with offensive rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo. Some of those opinions have waned as the season has worn on, to the point that some see the Giants utilizing their first-round pick on a quarterback for the second draft in a row. 
After the Giants tried and failed to move up to No. 1 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft to take Cam Ward, there was some speculation that they may attempt to trade back into the back of the first round for another quarterback option, perhaps Shedeur Sanders or Dart. The Saints had been tied to Dart, as well, but after he slipped by their No. 9 overall pick, all eyes were on New Orleans to trade back into the first round, as well. Ultimately, it was New York that pulled the trigger and landed Dart.
Expectations for Dart’s first season varied wildly. Some viewed a short leash for veteran starter Russell Wilson, while others thought Dart could hold a clipboard throughout his entire rookie campaign. After an 0-3 start to the season in which the Giants scored fewer than 10 points in two of those games, the team turned the offense over to the rookie, and Dart delivered, immediately, with a win over the playoff-bound Chargers.
The following week, Dart showed some vulnerabilities in a game that would give the Saints their first win of the season, but he rebounded with a big win over the division-rival Eagles in his third start. A playoff gauntlet that included trips to Denver, Philadelphia, and Chicago and a home matchup with the 49ers prevented any more wins from being added to Dart’s record, but the young passer continued to show strong abilities and impressive instincts in his first several starts under head coach Brian Daboll.
As Connor Hughes of SportsNet New York points out, though, Daboll’s firing led to some regression in Dart’s overall performance. After throwing 10 touchdowns to just three interceptions and rushing for seven more scores in his first seven starts, Dart has only thrown three touchdowns to two interceptions while staying scoreless on the ground up until today’s win over the lowly Raiders. Post-Daboll, the team’s designed usage of Dart was altered in a way that perhaps now lends some justifiability to looking into a new passer next year.
To that end, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that, before making any concrete plans for the future, the Giants will be fully evaluating Heisman-winner and projected QB1 of the 2026 NFL Draft Fernando Mendoza. While not boasting talent that commands surefire No. 1 overall status à la Joe Burrow or Trevor Lawrence, the Indiana-product (by way of Cal) has been billed lately as the top passing prospect in the coming draft. With the finalized holders of the top two picks in the draft both being quarterback-needy teams, there’s a high likelihood that Mendoza could be selected with one of those two picks.
If the team does decide to draft a new quarterback, the expectation is that they would try to trade Dart to another team searching for an answer at the position. Dart’s early promise and strong attributes could make him a strong option for many teams lacking at the position, but if the Giants grade Mendoza highly and like him more than they currently like Dart, the rookie’s concussion history and reckless play style could make him an expendable asset in the eyes of the team.
Part of these decisions will come down to the staffers making them, and while general manager Joe Schoen has been expected to be retained in New York, his position is hardly secure. In fact, while Rapoport didn’t speak to this point in his segment linked above, the banner showing as he discussed the Giants reported that Schoen was “likely to remain with (the) team for (the) draft.” It’s hard to believe New York would allow Schoen to have input on something as impactful as the team’s 2026 first-round pick — or their next head coach — if they didn’t expect to retain him past that, but NFL Network’s wording seems ominous, nonetheless.
We’re still months away from any solid answers on what the future will bring for the Giants. Next week could determine if they have the No. 1 overall pick. Several stages of the pre-draft process could determine if Mendoza will be the likely draft choice. Who the team drafts could easily determine the futures of both Dart and Schoen. Lots of variables remain up in the air for what is setting up to be a newsworthy offseason in New York.